her quite at her mercy. When Lisa confessed
the truth, equally as a matter of diplomacy, in order that she might
have the assistance of some one who would keep her well posted in all
the gossip of the neighbourhood, the old maid swore that for her own
part she would be as mute as a fish, and deny the truth of the reports
about Florent, even if she were to be led to the stake for it. And
afterwards this drama brought her intense enjoyment; every morning she
came to the shop with some fresh piece of disturbing news.

"You must be careful," she whispered one day; "I have just heard two
women in the tripe market talking about you know what. I can't interrupt
people and tell them they are lying, you know. It would look so strange.
But the story's got about, and it's spreading farther every day. It
can't be stopped now, I fear; the truth will have to come out."

A few days later she returned to the assault in all earnest. She made
her appearance looking quite scared, and waited impatiently till there
was no one in the shop, when she burst out in her sibilant voice:

"Do you know what people are saying now? Well, they say that all those
men who meet at Monsieur Lebigre's have got guns, and are going to
break out again as they did in '48. It's quite distressing to see such
a worthy man as Monsieur Gavard--rich, too, and so respectable--leaguing
himself with such scoundrels! I was very anxious to let you know, on
account of your brother-in-law."

"Oh, it's mere nonsense, I'm sure; it can't be serious," rejoined Lisa,
just to incite the old maid to tell her more.

"Not serious, indeed! Why, when one passes along the Rue Pirouette in
the evening one can hear them screaming out in the most dreadful way.
Oh! they make no mystery of it all. You know yourself how they tried to
corrupt your husband. And the cartridges which I have seen them making
from my own window, are they mere nonsense? Well, well, I'm only telling
you this for your own good."

"Oh! I'm sure of that, and I'm very much obliged to you," replied Lisa;
"but people do invent such stories, you know."

"Ah, but this is no invention, unfortunately. The whole neighbourhood is
talking of it. It is said, too, that if the police discover the matter
there will be a great many people compromised--Monsieur Gavard, for
instance."

Madame Quenu shrugged her shoulders as though to say that Monsieur
Gavard was an old fool, and that it would do him good to be locked up.

"We