r in the character of menial and inferior, with his
coat off, bustling about with the glasses, corkscrews and towels.
Instead of hobnobbing with the guide, he waited upon him with
discretion and assiduity, and Pauline even fancied that towards herself
there was a grain more of respect than of admiration in the hotel
keeper's bearing.

CHAPTER XIX

REHABILITATION

"Cast from the pedestal of pride with shocks."

All through the little supper, made gay by the brilliant dresses of the
ladies and the bunches of roses in the middle of the table, a
restlessness marked the guide's manner; he was clearly anxious to have
it over, get rid of Poussette and Miss Cordova, and be alone with
Pauline.

It was a quarter to twelve when this was arrived at, and Crabbe took
the precaution of closing the door securely after the Frenchman, and of
seeing that the blind was sufficiently lowered over the one window
which looked on the side of the cleared yard nearer the river, but he
did not think of looking out of the window. Perhaps if he had he would
not have recognized Ringfield in the straight dark shadow that kept
walking up and down, up and down, as long as the light shone from that
room. When he at last found himself secure and alone, the Englishman's
stoicism, pride, and remorse, all came forth at one bound. He sat down
and swept the dishes away from him, reached for Pauline's hand, and
bent his head down over it upon the table, smothering different
ejaculations, which, warm and earnest enough, were totally removed from
his usual style of impassioned speech--he uttered nothing profane. But
he sobbed--sobbed.

"Oh, what is it?" cried Miss Clairville in alarm. "What has happened?
I never saw you like this before. It frightens me--why you sound as if
you were crying, but that would be impossible. Oh, tell me, tell me!"

He grew calmer, lifted his head and felt for his handkerchief. "Yes,
it's quite possible! I believe I have shed a tear or two. The first
in how many years, Pauline? Ah--that I could not, would not wish to
compute, but it's over now, I----"

He stopped, released her hand and began settling his clothes with the
familiar touches she remembered so well. "I--well; Pauline, it's this;
I've come into money. Now you know. Now you understand. And another
thing--I know how to make money--what's more. Nothing succeeds like
success, you see, and by Heaven--one thing followed on another till I
could