ght at the Vaudeville.

"Come during the third entr'acte."

I put the letter into a drawer, so that I might always have it at band
in case I doubted its reality, as I did from time to time.

She did not tell me to come to see her during the day, and I dared not
go; but I had so great a desire to see her before the evening that I
went to the Champs-Elysees, where I again saw her pass and repass, as I
had on the previous day.

At seven o'clock I was at the Vaudeville. Never had I gone to a theatre
so early. The boxes filled one after another. Only one remained empty,
the stage box. At the beginning of the third act I heard the door of
the box, on which my eyes had been almost constantly fixed, open, and
Marguerite appeared. She came to the front at once, looked around the
stalls, saw me, and thanked me with a look.

That night she was marvellously beautiful. Was I the cause of this
coquetry? Did she love me enough to believe that the more beautiful she
looked the happier I should be? I did not know, but if that had been
her intention she certainly succeeded, for when she appeared all heads
turned, and the actor who was then on the stage looked to see who had
produced such an effect on the audience by her mere presence there.

And I had the key of this woman's room, and in three or four hours she
would again be mine!

People blame those who let themselves be ruined by actresses and kept
women; what astonishes me is that twenty times greater follies are not
committed for them. One must have lived that life, as I have, to know
how much the little vanities which they afford their lovers every day
help to fasten deeper into the heart, since we have no other word for
it, the love which he has for them.

Prudence next took her place in the box, and a man, whom I recognised as
the Comte de G., seated himself at the back. As I saw him, a cold shiver
went through my heart.

Doubtless Marguerite perceived the impression made on me by the presence
of this man, for she smiled to me again, and, turning her back to the
count, appeared to be very attentive to the play. At the third entr'acte
she turned and said two words: the count left the box, and Marguerite
beckoned to me to come to her.

"Good-evening," she said as I entered, holding out her hand.

"Good-evening," I replied to both Marguerite and Prudence.

"Sit down."

"But I am taking some one's place. Isn't the Comte de G. coming back?"

"Yes; I sent him to fetch