rth of the loan to make a little nest-egg. Well, I will take twenty
thousand, and you shall stand in for half. You understand that I am not
going to hand the money over to Walter. So there is nothing to pay for
the present. If it all succeeds, you gain seventy thousand francs. If
not, you will owe me ten thousand, which you can pay when you please."

He remarked, "No, I do not like such pains."

Then she argued, in order to get him to make up his mind. She proved to
him that he was really pledging his word for ten thousand francs, that
he was running risks, and that she was not advancing him anything, since
the actual outlay was made by Walter's bank. She pointed out to him,
besides, that it was he who had carried on in the _Vie Francaise_ the
whole of the political campaign that had rendered the scheme possible.
He would be very foolish not to profit by it. He still hesitated, and
she added, "But just reflect that in reality it is Walter who is
advancing you these ten thousand Francs, and that you have rendered him
services worth a great deal more than that."

"Very well, then," said he, "I will go halves with you. If we lose, I
will repay you the ten thousand francs."

She was so pleased that she rose, took his head in both her hands, and
began to kiss him eagerly. He did not resist at first, but as she grew
bolder, clasping him to her and devouring him with caresses, he
reflected that the other would be there shortly, and that if he yielded
he would lose time and exhaust in the arms of the old woman an ardor
that he had better reserve for the young one. So he repulsed her gently,
saying, "Come, be good now."

She looked at him disconsolately, saying, "Oh, George, can't I even kiss
you?"

He replied, "No, not to-day. I have a headache, and it upsets me."

She sat down again docilely between his knees, and asked, "Will you come
and dine with us to-morrow? You would give me much pleasure."

He hesitated, but dared not refuse, so said, "Certainly."

"Thanks, darling."

She rubbed her cheek slowly against his breast with a regular and
coaxing movement, and one of her long black hairs caught in his
waistcoat. She noticed it, and a wild idea crossed her mind, one of
those superstitious notions which are often the whole of a woman's
reason. She began to twist this hair gently round a button. Then she
fastened another hair to the next button, and a third to the next. One
to every button. He would tear them out of