"That is problematical," returned Jacques Bricheteau; "whereas by
staying here you are compromising your political future and your
reputation in the most positive manner. Such a sacrifice no friendship
has the right to demand of you."

"Let us talk of it with the doctor," said Sallenauve, unable to deny the
truth of what Bricheteau said.

On being questioned, the doctor replied that he had just seen symptoms
in the patient which threatened another paroxysm.

"But," cried Sallenauve, eagerly, "you are not losing hope of a cure,
are you, doctor?"

"Far from that. I have perfect faith in the ultimate termination of the
case; but I see more delay in reaching it than at first I expected,"
replied the doctor.

"I have recently been elected to our Chamber of deputies," said
Sallenauve, "and I ought to be in my seat at the opening of the session;
in fact, my interests are seriously concerned, and my friend Monsieur
Bricheteau has come over to fetch me. If therefore I can be sure that my
presence here is not essential--"

"By all means go," said the doctor. "It may be a long time before I
could allow you to see the patient; therefore you can leave without
the slightest self-reproach. In fact, you can really do nothing here at
present. Trust him to Lord Lewin and me; I assure you that I shall make
his recovery, of which I have no doubt, a matter of personal pride and
self-love."

Sallenauve pressed the doctor's hand gratefully, and started for London
without delay. Arriving there at five o'clock, the travellers were
unable to leave before midnight; meantime their eyes were struck at
every turn by those enormous posters which English _puffism_ alone
is able to produce, announcing the second appearance in Her Majesty's
theatre of the Signora Luigia. The name alone was enough to attract
the attention of both travellers; but the newspapers to which they had
recourse for further information furnished, as is customary in England,
so many circumstantial details about the prima donna that Sallenauve
could no longer doubt the transformation of his late housekeeper into an
operatic star of the first magnitude.

Going to the box-office, which he found closed, every seat having been
sold before mid-day, Sallenauve considered himself lucky to obtain two
seats from a speculator, at the enormous cost of five pounds apiece.
The opera was "La Pazza d'Amore" of Paesiello. When the curtain rose,
Sallenauve, who had spent the last two