room, and we scarcely earn our
bread. It grieves me very much to know that you are so unfortunately
circumstanced. But you mustn't rely on me. Do as we do--work."

He pocketed the ten francs, and remained there for another moment
swaying about, and saying that he had not come for money, and that
he could very well understand things. For his part he always behaved
properly with people when people behaved properly with him. And he
repeated that since she showed herself good-natured he had no idea of
creating any scandal. A mother who did what she could performed her
duty, even though she might only give a ten-sous piece. Then, as he was
at last going off, he inquired: "Won't you kiss me?"

She kissed him, but with cold lips and lifeless heart, and the two
smacking kisses which, with noisy affectation, he gave her in return,
left her cheeks quivering.

"And au revoir, eh?" said he. "Although one may be poor and unable
to keep together, each knows now that the other's in the land of the
living. And there is no reason why I shouldn't come up just now and
again to wish you good day when I'm passing."

When he had at last disappeared long silence fell amid the infinite
distress which his short stay had brought there. Norine had again sunk
upon a chair, as if overwhelmed by this catastrophe. Cecile had been
obliged to sit down in front of her, for she also was overcome. And
it was she who, amid the mournfulness of that room, which but a little
while ago had held all their happiness, spoke out the first to complain
and express her astonishment.

"But you did not ask him anything; we know nothing about him," said she.
"Where has he come from? What is he doing? What does he want? And,
in particular, how did he manage to discover you? These were the
interesting things to learn."

"Oh! what would you have!" replied Norine. "When he told me his name he
knocked all the strength out of me; I felt as cold as ice! Oh! it's
he, there's no doubt of it. You recognized his likeness to his father,
didn't you? But you are right; we know nothing, and now we shall always
be living with that threat over our heads, in fear that everything will
crumble down upon us."

All her strength, all her courage was gone, and she began to sob,
stammering indistinctly: "To think of it! a big fellow of eighteen
falling on one like that without a word of warning! And it's quite true
that I don't love him, since I don't even know him. When he kissed me I