efore.
He was forced to acknowledge that if she cared not for him, if in
reality she was mercenary, in spite of all, his love for her increased
daily, as one loves when only twenty years of age, without reasoning,
following merely the drawing of one's heart, simply for the joy and the
grief of loving.

One morning he caught a glimpse of her for a moment, and realised that
he could not give her up. Now she was his chosen one and no other.
Whatever she might be, bad or good, ugly or pretty, poor or rich, he
would give up his life rather than not be able to claim her.

The third day his sufferings were so great that, notwithstanding all his
wise resolves, he returned to the house of the embroiderers.

After having rung the bell, he was received as before, downstairs by
Hubert, who, on account of the want of clearness in his explanations in
regard to his visit, concluded the best thing to be done was to allow
him to go upstairs again.

"My daughter, Monsieur, wishes to speak to you on certain points of the
work that I do not quite understand."

Then Felicien stammered, "If it would not disturb Mademoiselle too
much, I would like to see how far--These ladies advised me to personally
superintend the work--that is, if by doing so I should not be in
anyone's way."

Angelique's heart beat violently when she saw him come in. She almost
choked, but, making a great effort, she controlled herself. The
blood did not even mount her cheeks, and with an appearance of calm
indifference, she replied:

"Oh, nothing ever disturbs me, Monsieur. I can work equally well before
anyone. As the design is yours, it is quite natural that you should wish
to follow the execution of it."

Quite discountenanced by this reception, Felicien would not have dared
to have taken a seat, had not Hubertine welcomed him cordially, as
she smiled in her sweet, quiet way at this excellent customer. Almost
immediately she resumed her work, bending over the frame where she was
embroidering on the sides of the mitre the Gothic ornaments in guipure,
or open lacework.

On his side, Hubert had just taken down from the wall a banner which was
finished, had been stiffened, and for two days past had been hung up to
dry, and which now he wished to relax. No one spoke; the three workers
kept at their tasks as if no other person had been in the room with
them.

In the midst of this charming quiet, the young man little by little grew
calmer. When the clock struck