eyes
were now riveted on Malignon, who feigned an intense love of music,
and appeared to be enraptured with the "Turtle Doves." Was it
possible? Could Juliette have turned a willing ear to the amorous
chatter of the young fop? It was at Trouville, no doubt, that some
dangerous game had been played. Malignon now sat in front of Juliette,
marking the time of the music by swaying to and fro with the air of
one who is enraptured. Madame Deberle's face beamed in admiring
complacency, while the doctor, good-natured and patient, silently
awaited the last notes of the song in order to renew his talk with the
stout, pale man.

There was a murmur of applause as the singer's voice died away, and
two or three exclaimed in tones of transport: "Delightful!
magnificent!"

Malignon, however, stretching his arms over the ladies' head-dresses,
noiselessly clapped his gloved hands, and repeated "Brava! brava!" in
a voice that rose high above the others.

The enthusiasm promptly came to an end, every face relaxed and smiled,
and a few of the ladies rose, while, with the feeling of general
relief, the buzz of conversation began again. The atmosphere was
growing much warmer, and the waving fans wafted an odor of musk from
the ladies' dresses. At times, amidst the universal chatter, a peal of
pearly laughter would ring out, or some word spoken in a loud tone
would cause many to turn round. Thrice already had Juliette swept into
the smaller drawing-room to request some gentleman who had escaped
thither not to desert the ladies in so rude a fashion. They returned
at her request, but ten minutes afterwards had again vanished.

"It's intolerable," she muttered, with an air of vexation; "not one of
them will stay here."

In the meantime Mademoiselle Aurelie was running over the ladies'
names for Helene's benefit, as this was only the latter's second
evening visit to the doctor's house. The most substantial people of
Passy, some of them rolling in riches, were present. And the old maid
leaned towards Helene and whispered in her ear: "Yes, it seems it's
all arranged. Madame de Chermette is going to marry her daughter to
that tall fair fellow with whom she has flirted for the last eighteen
months. Well, never mind, that will be one mother-in-law who'll be
fond of her son-in-law."

She stopped short, and then burst out in a tone of intense surprise:
"Good gracious! there's Madame Levasseur's husband speaking to that
man. I thought Juliette ha