a vast disdain for money.
His wife, he said, had been engaged to play the Duchess Helene, and she
would play the part even if he, Mignon, were to be ruined over it.
His dignity, his honor, were at stake! Starting from this basis, the
discussion grew interminable. The manager, however, always returned to
the following argument: since the Folies had offered Rose three hundred
francs a night during a hundred performances, and since she only made a
hundred and fifty with him, she would be the gainer by fifteen thousand
francs the moment he let her depart. The husband, on his part, did not
desert the artist's position. What would people say if they saw his wife
deprived of her part? Why, that she was not equal to it; that it had
been deemed necessary to find a substitute for her! And this would do
great harm to Rose's reputation as an artist; nay, it would diminish it.
Oh no, no! Glory before gain! Then without a word of warning he
pointed out a possible arrangement: Rose, according to the terms of her
agreement, was pledged to pay a forfeit of ten thousand francs in case
she gave up the part. Very well then, let them give her ten thousand
francs, and she would go to the Folies-Dramatiques. Bordenave was
utterly dumfounded while Mignon, who had never once taken his eyes off
the count, tranquilly awaited results.

"Then everything can be settled," murmured Muffat in tones of relief;
"we can come to an understanding."

"The deuce, no! That would be too stupid!" cried Bordenave, mastered
by his commercial instincts. "Ten thousand francs to let Rose go! Why,
people would make game of me!"

But the count, with a multiplicity of nods, bade him accept. He
hesitated, and at last with much grumbling and infinite regret over the
ten thousand francs which, by the by, were not destined to come out of
his own pocket he bluntly continued:

"After all, I consent. At any rate, I shall have you off my hands."

For a quarter of an hour past Fontan had been listening in the
courtyard. Such had been his curiosity that he had come down and posted
himself there, but the moment he understood the state of the case he
went upstairs again and enjoyed the treat of telling Rose. Dear me! They
were just haggling in her behalf! He dinned his words into her ears;
she ran off to the property room. They were silent as she entered. She
looked at the four men. Muffat hung his head; Fauchery answered her
questioning glance with a despairing shrug of the s