He reflected silently, paying no more attention to Phillis than if she
were not present, his eyes fixed, his brow contracted, his lips tightly
closed, when the doorbell rang. As Joseph was at his post, Saniel did
not move.

"If it is a patient," Phillis said, who did not wish to go yet, "I will
wait in the dining-room."

And she rose.

Before she could leave the room, Joseph entered.

"Doctor Balzajette," he said.

"You see!" Phillis cried.

Without replying, Saniel made a sign to Joseph to admit Doctor
Balzajette, and while Phillis silently disappeared, he went toward the
parlor.

Balzajette came forward with both hands extended.

"Good-day, my young 'confrere'. I am enchanted to meet you."

The reception was benevolent, amicable, and protecting, and Saniel
replied at his best.

"Since we met the other day," Balzajette continued, "I have thought
of you. And nothing more natural than that, for you inspired me with
a quick sympathy. The first time you came to see me you pleased me
immediately, and I told you you would make your way. Do you remember?"

Assuredly he remembered; and of all the visits that he made to the
doctors and druggists of his quarter, that to Balzajette was the
hardest. It was impossible to show more pride, haughtiness, and disdain
than Balzajette had put into his reception of the then unknown young
man.

"I told you what I thought of you," continued Balzajette. "It is with
regard to this patient of whom you spoke to me; you remember?"

"Madame Dammauville?"

"Exactly. I put her on her feet, as I told you, but since then this bad
weather has compelled her to take to her bed again. Without doubt, it
is only an affair of a few days; but in the mean time, the poor woman is
irritable and impatient. You know women, young 'confrere'. To calm
this impatience, I spontaneously proposed a consultation, and naturally
pronounced your name, which is well known by your fine work on the
medullary lesions. I supported it, as was proper, with the esteem that
it has acquired, and I have the satisfaction to see it accepted."

Saniel thanked him as if he believed in the perfect sincerity of this
spontaneous proposition.

"I like the young, and whenever an occasion presents itself, I shall be
happy to introduce you to my clientage. For Madame Dammauville, when can
you go with me to see her?"

As Saniel appeared to hesitate, Balzajette, mistaking the cause of his
silence, persisted.

"She is impati