old in my hand."

Carmen had forgotten entirely that these invitations had been sent out a
week before.

Laisangy looked at her closely.

"I fancied," he said, "that this entertainment had escaped your memory."

"I certainly shall not appear!" answered Carmen.

The banker bit his lips, this was precisely what he feared. He began to
argue the matter gently. And she, in her turn, began to reflect. She saw
on the list the name of Goutran, which she had written with a breaking
heart. After all, had she the right to desert her post?

"Very well," she said, "I will be present."

Laisangy was astonished at his prompt success.

"Yes," she repeated, "on condition that you do not once call me your
daughter."

"What shall I call you?" stammered Laisangy.

"Whatever you choose, only take care that you do not disobey me!"

In fact, the banker cared little upon this point. He had obtained what
he wanted. His fete would be made brilliant by Carmen's presence. He did
not retire, however, and the girl saw that he had something else to
say.

"What more do you want?" she asked, impatiently.

"My dear child," began Laisangy, with some pomposity, "you have,
doubtless, ere this discovered that matters of finance are composed of a
thousand details more important than those of diplomacy."

"I have certainly learned that swindling is a troublesome business," she
said through her teeth, and with intense disdain.

Laisangy pretended not to hear this.

"To-night," he said, with perfect _sang froid_, "we leave the
Tuileries."

He had counted on the effect of these words. Carmen shrugged her
shoulders, which certainly was not respectful to the Emperor.

"And I am greatly disturbed," continued the banker. "It may be necessary
for me to leave for an hour. I shall pretend indisposition, which may be
attributed to the heat, and while I am supposed to be recovering in my
own room, I can go out and attend to my affairs."

"You may be obliged to go out, then?"

"Certainly; did you not understand?"

"Why do you not tell me that you wish to go to the Bourse?"

Laisangy was annoyed. He saw that Carmen was on the _qui vive_, and
Carmen said to herself: "What does this mean? He is lying, and some
infernal machination is on foot. I must learn what it is."

She replied more gently:

"But I care little about these matters; the Bourse does not interest
me. At what hour did you say you might be called away?"

"About midnight."

"Ver