arse, shameless," she said; "I was indeed no
longer a young girl, but I had never loved, never faltered."

He cut her short with: "I know it. You have told me so twenty times. But
you had had two children."

She drew back, exclaiming: "Oh, George, that is unworthy of you," and
pressing her two hands to her heart, began to choke and sob.

When he saw the tears come he took his hat from the corner of the
mantelpiece, saying: "Oh, you are going to cry, are you? Good-bye, then.
So it was to show off in this way that you came here, eh?"

She had taken a step forward in order to bar the way, and quickly
pulling out a handkerchief from her pocket, wiped her eyes with an
abrupt movement. Her voice grew firmer by the effort of her will, as she
said, in tones tremulous with pain, "No--I came to--to tell you some
news--political news--to put you in the way of gaining fifty thousand
francs--or even more--if you like."

He inquired, suddenly softening, "How so? What do you mean?"

"I caught, by chance, yesterday evening, some words between my husband
and Laroche-Mathieu. They do not, besides, trouble themselves to hide
much from me. But Walter recommended the Minister not to let you into
the secret, as you would reveal everything."

Du Roy had put his hat down on a chair, and was waiting very
attentively.

"What is up, then?" said he.

"They are going to take possession of Morocco."

"Nonsense! I lunched with Laroche-Mathieu, who almost dictated to me the
intention of the Cabinet."

"No, darling, they are humbugging you, because they were afraid lest
their plan should be known."

"Sit down," said George, and sat down himself in an armchair. Then she
drew towards him a low stool, and sitting down on it between his knees,
went on in a coaxing tone, "As I am always thinking about you, I pay
attention now to everything that is whispered around me."

And she began quietly to explain to him how she had guessed for some
time past that something was being hatched unknown to him; that they
were making use of him, while dreading his co-operation. She said, "You
know, when one is in love, one grows cunning."

At length, the day before, she had understood it all. It was a business
transaction, a thumping affair, worked out on the quiet. She smiled now,
happy in her dexterity, and grew excited, speaking like a financier's
wife accustomed to see the market rigged, used to rises and falls that
ruin, in two hours of speculation, th