hen the two friends took leave of one another. Julie was anxious to
see Jansen again, whom she confidently hoped to find in his studio at
this hour. But on the stairs, to which the baron escorted her, she
whispered to him:

"Why don't you want to let Irene into the secret? Unless I am very much
mistaken, she already knows the first half; you owe it to her to tell
her the other half, which truly does you honor."

"Do you think so?" answered the baron. "Irene have a suspicion? Good
God, these young girls nowadays! One takes great credit to one's self
for the profound innocence and ignorance in which one has brought them
up, and they are wiser than we ourselves! Well, then, in Heaven's name!
one sour apple more; my teeth are yet on edge from the first one."

He kissed Julie's hand once more and returned, sighing, to his niece.

CHAPTER XII.

Julie went slowly and thoughtfully down the stairs. The moment she was
alone, all in which she had just taken part sank into the background
before the one thought how it fared with her friend, how he had passed
the day, and what might have occurred between him and his wife, who
held his fate in her hands. She reproached herself for having let her
visit detain her so long. It is true he did not generally come until
evening. But what if he had sought her out earlier to-day?--what if he
had had some news to give her, or had needed her advice or consent? A
cold shudder passed over her at the dreadful thought!

As if to make up for lost time, she hastened down the remaining steps.
But, upon reaching the landing of the first floor, she involuntarily
stopped. A very strange kind of music issued from one of the
neighboring doors. This was Nelida's _salon_; the waiter who had taken
her to Irene had told her so. The piano within, which only skillful
hands were generally allowed to touch, seemed to have fallen into the
hands of a maniac, who cared more for making noise than music, or who
was trying to test the instrument's power of resistance.

But, rising above all this stormy _charivari_ of the keys, what noise
was that? Did her ears deceive her, or did she really hear a child's
voice that pierced to her very heart? Greatly excited, she advanced a
few steps toward the nearest door; now she heard it more plainly--the
sobbing of a child, that ceased for a moment only to begin again
immediately afterward. Was it possible? Did she know that voice? She
ap