fled under the crushing weight of that name: _Duchesse de
Rosas!_

Simon Kayser came to dine. He was deeply moved when he learned that the
housekeeping was upset.

What! the devilish duke knew all then?

And he has taken the matter up in a dramatic fashion?

"Folly!"

"It is a serious matter, all the same!" said the uncle, after debating
with himself as to where he should dine. "He will break her heart as he
said, immured yonder within his four walls!--Ah! it was hardly worth
while to handle her affairs so cleverly for a Gochard to come on the
scenes and spoil everything, the rascal! For myself, I pity the little
Marianne!--Her plan of battle was excellently arranged, well disposed
and admirably put together! It was superb! And it failed!--Come, it
amounts to this in everything: it is said that the pursuit of a great
art is to ply the trade of a dupe! Destiny lacks morality! We should
perhaps be happier, both, if she were simply a _cocotte_ and I engaged
in photography!--But!" the brave fellow added: "one has lofty ideas,
as-pi-ra-tions, or one has not!--One cannot remake one's self when one
is an artist!"

PARIS, 1880-1881.

* * * * *

_This little, pale, blond man seemed, in the growing darkness, like a
portrait of former days stepped forth from its frame._

_His hand of steel again seized Marianne's wrists._

[Illustration: MARIANNE HEARS HER SENTENCE OF BANISHMENT]

List of Illustrations

PAGE

IN THE GREENROOM OF THE OPERA _Fronts._

VAUDREY MEETS MARIANNE IN THE BOIS 216

SULPICE BECOMES SURETY FOR MARIANNE 272

THE BANQUET 376

MARIANNE HEARS HER SENTENCE OF BANISHMENT 544

[Transcriber's Note: Illustrations have been moved to appropriate
positions.]

[Transcriber's Note: The following apparent misprints have been
corrected for this electronic edition:

"antechamber"--from "ante-chamber"
"knickknacks"--from "knick-knacks"
"of the Opera house"--from "of the Opera house"
"wings of the Opera"--from "wings of the Opera"
"wrote Monsieur J.-J. Weiss in the Journal des Debats"--from "Debats"
"The President awaited at the Elysee"--from "Elysee"
"above all, my dear Vaudrey, do not fear to appear"--from
"Vaudrey, "do not fear"
"He shut his eyes to picture Marianne."--from ""He shut his eyes"
"asserting the virginity