n herself and wrapped herself, as with a cloak, in
all her outraged chastity. He could only humiliate himself without
softening her. All Adrienne's deceived trustfulness and insulted love
strengthened her in her determination never to forgive.

She would go.

Vaudrey in despair returned to his study, where the books that had been
sent from the ministry were piled upon the carpet in all the confusion
attending an entry into occupation. The servant at once brought him his
lamp and handed him a package of cards in envelopes,--cards of
condolence as for a death--and a large card, saying: "That gentleman is
here!"

"Molina!" said Vaudrey, becoming very pale. "Show him in!"

The fat Salomon entered puffing and smiling, and spread himself out on
an armchair as he said to the former minister:

"Well, how goes it?--Not too badly crushed, eh?--Bah! what is it after
all to quit office?--Only a means for returning to it, sometimes!"

"All the same," he said with his cackling laugh that sounded like the
jingling of a money-bag, "there are too many changes of ministers! They
change them like shirts! It puts me out. I get used to one Excellency
and he is put aside! So it is settled, henceforth I will not say
Excellency save to the usher or an office-boy!"

He accompanied his clumsy jests with a loud laugh, then, changing his
tone:

"Come, that is not all. I came to speak of business to you."

He looked Vaudrey full in the face with his piercing glance, took from
his pocketbook a printed sheet and said in a precise tone:

"Here is an opportunity where your title of former minister will serve
you better than that of minister. So much is being said of Algeria, its
mines and its fibre. Well, read that!"

Vaudrey took the paper. It was the prospectus, very skilfully drawn, of
a company established to introduce gas into Algeria, almost as far as
the Sahara. They promised the subscribers wonders and miracles: acres
upon acres of land as a bonus. There was a fortune to be made. Meantime,
they would issue six thousand shares of five hundred francs. It was
three millions they were asking from the public. A mere trifle.

"They might ask ten," said Molina, smiling. "They would give it!"

"And you wish me to subscribe to your Algerian gas?" asked Vaudrey.

The fat Molina burst out into loud laughter this time.

"I? I simply wish to give you the opportunity to make a fortune!"

"How?"

"That is one scheme. I will bring you four,