d Reine to the
carriage, from which Seraphine did not alight. And when his daughter
had sprung in joyously, he remained there another moment, effusively
thanking the Baroness, and delighted to think that his dear child
was going to amuse herself. Then, after watching the brougham till it
disappeared, he entered the factory, looking suddenly aged and shrunken,
as if his grief had fallen on his shoulders once more, so overwhelming
him that he quite forgot the others, and did not even take leave of
them.

"Poor fellow!" muttered Mathieu, who had turned icy cold on seeing
Seraphine's bright mocking face and red hair at the carriage window.

Then he was going to his office when Beauchene beckoned to him from one
of the windows of the house to come in with the doctor. The pair of
them found Constance and Maurice in the little drawing-room, whither
the father had repaired to finish his coffee and smoke a cigar. Boutan
immediately attended to the child, who was much better with respect
to his legs, but who still suffered from stomachic disturbance, the
slightest departure from the prescribed diet leading to troublesome
complications.

Constance, though she did not confess it, had become really anxious
about the boy, and questioned the doctor, and listened to him with all
eagerness. While she was thus engaged Beauchene drew Mathieu on one
side.

"I say," he began, laughing, "why did you not tell me that everything
was finished over yonder? I met the pretty blonde in the street
yesterday."

Mathieu quietly replied that he had waited to be questioned in order to
render an account of his mission, for he had not cared to be the first
to raise such a painful subject. The money handed to him for expenses
had proved sufficient, and whenever the other desired it, he could
produce receipts for his various disbursements. He was already entering
into particulars when Beauchene jovially interrupted him.

"You know what happened here? She had the audacity to come and ask for
work, not of me of course, but of the foreman of the women's work-room.
Fortunately I had foreseen this and had given strict orders; so the
foreman told her that considerations of order and discipline prevented
him from taking her back. Her sister Euphrasie, who is to be married
next week, is still working here. Just fancy them having another set-to!
Besides, her place is not here."

Then he went to take a little glass of cognac which stood on the
mantelpiece.