ence.

"It is now two years and a half since Monsieur Hulot left his family,
and I do not know where to find him, though I know that he lives in
Paris," said the Baroness with emotion. "A dream suggested to me the
idea--an absurd one perhaps--that you may have interested yourself in
Monsieur Hulot. If you could enable me to see him--oh! mademoiselle, I
would pray Heaven for you every day as long as I live in this world--"

Two large tears in the singer's eyes told what her reply would be.

"Madame," said she, "I have done you an injury without knowing you; but,
now that I have the happiness of seeing in you the most perfect virtue
on earth, believe me I am sensible of the extent of my fault; I repent
sincerely, and believe me, I will do all in my power to remedy it!"

She took Madame Hulot's hand and before the lady could do anything to
hinder her, she kissed it respectfully, even humbling herself to bend
one knee. Then she rose, as proud as when she stood on the stage in the
part of _Mathilde_, and rang the bell.

"Go on horseback," said she to the man-servant, "and kill the horse if
you must, to find little Bijou, Rue Saint-Maur-du-Temple, and bring her
here. Put her into a coach and pay the coachman to come at a gallop. Do
not lose a moment--or you lose your place.

"Madame," she went on, coming back to the Baroness, and speaking to
her in respectful tones, "you must forgive me. As soon as the Duc
d'Herouville became my protector, I dismissed the Baron, having heard
that he was ruining his family for me. What more could I do? In an
actress' career a protector is indispensable from the first day of her
appearance on the boards. Our salaries do not pay half our expenses; we
must have a temporary husband. I did not value Monsieur Hulot, who took
me away from a rich man, a conceited idiot. Old Crevel would undoubtedly
have married me--"

"So he told me," said the Baroness, interrupting her.

"Well, then, you see, madame, I might at this day have been an honest
woman, with only one legitimate husband!"

"You have many excuses, mademoiselle," said Adeline, "and God will take
them into account. But, for my part, far from reproaching you, I came,
on the contrary, to make myself your debtor in gratitude--"

"Madame, for nearly three years I have provided for Monsieur le Baron's
necessities--"

"You?" interrupted the Baroness, with tears in her eyes. "Oh, what can I
do for you? I can only pray--"

"I and Monsieur