r
it, and shall still have money to pay your wages. So perhaps you can
marry your marquis after all."

"But we shall not be rich, Madame! We are ruined, ruined! _Mon Dieu_! we
poor folk! We had the hope to be persons of quality. 'Tis all the work
of this villain Jean L'as. May the Bastille get him, or the people, and
make him pay for this!"

"Stop! Enough of this, Marie!" said the Lady Catharine, sternly. "After
this have better wisdom, and do not meddle in things which you do not
understand."

Yet scarce had the girl departed before there appeared again the sound
of running steps, and presently there broke, equally unannounced, into
the presence of his mistress, the coachman, fresh from his stables and
none too careful of his garb. Tears ran down his cheeks. He flung out
his hands with gestures as of one demented.

"The news!" cried he. "The news, my Lady! The horrible news! The System
has vanished, the shares are going down!"

"Fellow, what do you here?" said Lady Catharine. "Why do you come with
this same story which Marie has just brought to me? Can you not learn
your place?"

"But, my Lady, you do not understand!" reiterated the man, blankly.
"'Tis all over. There is no Messasebe; there is no longer any System, no
longer any Company of the Indies. There is no longer wealth for the
stretching out of the hand. 'Tis all over. I must go back to horses--I,
Madame, who should presently have associated with the nobility!"

"Well, and if so," replied his mistress, "I can say to you, as I have to
Marie, that there will still be money for your wages."

"Wages! My faith, what trifles, my Lady! This Monsieur L'as, the
director-general, he it is who has ruined us! Well enough it is that the
square in front of his hotel is filled with people! Presently they will
break down his doors. And then, pray God they punish him for this that
he has done!"

The cheek of Lady Catharine paled and a sudden flood of contending
emotions crossed her mind. "You do not tellme that Monsieur L'as is in
danger, Pierre?" said she.

"Assuredly. Perhaps within the very hour they will tear down his doors
and rend him limb from limb. There is no punishment which can serve him
right--him who has ruined our pretty, pretty System. _Mon Dieu_! It was
so beautiful!"

"Is this news certain?"

"Assuredly, most certain. Why should it not be? The entire square in
front of the Hotel de Soisson is packed. Unless my Lady needs me, I
myself must haste