to receive L300 for singing in the two months before Christmas,
with an assurance of a greatly increased though hitherto unfixed
stipend afterwards. Personally she as yet knew no one connected with
her future theatrical home but M. Le Gros. Of M. Le Gros all her
thoughts had been favourable. Should she ask M. Le Gros to lend her
some small sum of money in advance for the uses of the autumn? Mr.
Moss had made to her a fixed proposition on the subject which she had
altogether declined. She had declined it with scorn as she was wont
to do all favours proffered by Mr. Moss. Mr. Moss had still been
gracious, and had smiled, and had ventured to express "a renewed
hope," as he called it, that Miss O'Mahony would even yet condescend
to look with regard on the sincere affection of her most humble
servant. And then he had again expatiated on the immense success in
theatrical life which would attend a partnership entered into between
the skill and beauty and power of voice of Miss O'Mahony on the one
side, and the energy, devotion, and capital of Mr. Moss on the other.
"Psha!" had been Rachel's only reply; and so that interview had been
brought to an end. But Rachel, when she came to think of M. Le Gros,
and the money she was desirous of borrowing, was afflicted by certain
qualms. That she should have borrowed from Mr. Moss, considering the
length of their acquaintance might not have been unnatural; but of M.
Le Gros she knew nothing but his civility. Nor had she any reason for
supposing that M. Le Gros had money of his own at his disposal; nor
did she know where M. Le Gros lived. She could go to Covent Garden
and ask for him there; but that was all.

So she dressed herself prettily--neatly, as she called it--and had
herself driven to the theatre. There, as chance would have it, she
found M. Le Gros standing under the portico with a gentleman whom she
represented to herself as an elderly old buck. M. Le Gros saw her and
came down into the street at once with his hat in his hand.

"M. Le Gros," said she, "I want you to do me a great favour, but I
have hardly the impudence to ask it. Can you lend me some money this
autumn--say L100?" Thereupon M. Le Gros' face fell, and his cheeks
were elongated, and his eyes were very sorrowful. "Ah, then, I see
you can't," she said. "I will not put you to the pain of saying so.
I ought not to have suggested it. My dealings with you have seemed to
be so pleasant, and they have not been quite of th