of prey.--Last evening, at seven o'clock, monsieur, men came
and stuck terrible posters up to announce a sale of furniture on
Saturday--but that is nothing.--Madame, who is all heart, once upon a
time to oblige that wretch of a man you know----"

"Vat wretch?"

"Well, the man she was in love with, d'Estourny--well, he was charming!
He was only a gambler----"

"He gambled with beveled cards!"

"Well--and what do you do at the Bourse?" said Europe. "But let me go
on. One day, to hinder Georges, as he said, from blowing out his brains,
she pawned all her plate and her jewels, which had never been paid for.
Now on hearing that she had given something to one of her creditors,
they came in a body and made a scene. They threaten her with the
police-court--your angel at that bar! Is it not enough to make a wig
stand on end? She is bathed in tears; she talks of throwing herself into
the river--and she will do it."

"If I shall go to see her, dat is goot-bye to de Bourse; an' it is
impossible but I shall go, for I shall make some money for her--you
shall compose her. I shall pay her debts; I shall go to see her at four
o'clock. But tell me, Eugenie, dat she shall lofe me a little----"

"A little?--A great deal!--I tell you what, monsieur, nothing but
generosity can win a woman's heart. You would, no doubt, have saved a
hundred thousand francs or so by letting her go to prison. Well, you
would never have won her heart. As she said to me--'Eugenie, he has been
noble, grand--he has a great soul.'"

"She hafe said dat, Eugenie?" cried the Baron.

"Yes, monsieur, to me, myself."

"Here--take dis ten louis."

"Thank you.--But she is crying at this moment; she has been crying ever
since yesterday as much as a weeping Magdalen could have cried in six
months. The woman you love is in despair, and for debts that are
not even hers! Oh! men--they devour women as women devour old
fogies--there!"

"Dey all is de same!--She hafe pledge' herself.--Vy, no one shall ever
pledge herself.--Tell her dat she shall sign noting more.--I shall pay;
but if she shall sign something more--I----"

"What will you do?" said Europe with an air.

"Mein Gott! I hafe no power over her.--I shall take de management of her
little affairs----Dere, dere, go to comfort her, and you shall say that
in ein mont she shall live in a little palace."

"You have invested heavily, Monsieur le Baron, and for large interest,
in a woman's heart. I tell you--you lo