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boulevard； then； just as it struck twelve； I went through the
Countess' ante…chamber。
〃 ' 〃Madame has just this minute rung for me；〃 said the maid； 〃I don't
think she can see you yet。〃
〃 ' 〃I will wait；〃 said I； and sat down in an easy…chair。
〃 'Venetian shutters were opened； and presently the maid came hurrying
back。
〃 ' 〃Come in； sir。〃
〃 'From the sweet tone of the girl's voice； I knew that the mistress
could not be ready to pay。 What a handsome woman it was that I saw in
another moment！ She had flung an Indian shawl hastily over her bare
shoulders； covering herself with it completely； while it revealed the
bare outlines of the form beneath。 She wore a loose gown trimmed with
snowy ruffles； which told plainly that her laundress' bills amounted
to something like two thousand francs in the course of a year。 Her
dark curls escaped from beneath a bright Indian handkerchief； knotted
carelessly about her head after the fashion of Creole women。 The bed
lay in disorder that told of broken slumber。 A painter would have paid
money to stay a while to see the scene that I saw。 Under the luxurious
hanging draperies； the pillow； crushed into the depths of an eider…
down quilt； its lace border standing out in contrast against the
background of blue silk； bore a vague impress that kindled the
imagination。 A pair of satin slippers gleamed from the great bear…skin
rug spread by the carved mahogany lions at the bed…foot； where she had
flung them off in her weariness after the ball。 A crumpled gown hung
over a chair； the sleeves touching the floor； stockings which a breath
would have blown away were twisted about the leg of an easy…chair；
while ribbon garters straggled over a settee。 A fan of price； half
unfolded； glittered on the chimney…piece。 Drawers stood open； flowers；
diamonds； gloves； a bouquet； a girdle； were littered about。 The room
was full of vague sweet perfume。 Andbeneath all the luxury and
disorder； beauty and incongruity； I saw Misery crouching in wait for
her or for her adorer； Misery rearing its head； for the Countess had
begun to feel the edge of those fangs。 Her tired face was an epitome
of the room strewn with relics of past festival。 The scattered
gewgaws； pitiable this morning； when gathered together and coherent；
had turned heads the night before。
〃 'What efforts to drink of the Tantalus cup of bliss I could read in
these traces of love stricken by the thunderbolt remorsein this
visible presentment of a life of luxury； extravagance； and riot。 There
were faint red marks on her young face； signs of the fineness of the
skin； but her features were coarsened； as it were； and the circles
about her eyes were unwontedly dark。 Nature nevertheless was so
vigorous in her； that these traces of past folly did not spoil her
beauty。 Her eyes glittered。 She looked like some Herodias of da
Vinci's （I have dealt in pictures）； so magnificently full of life and
energy was she； there was nothing starved nor stinted in feature or
outline； she awakened desire； it seemed to me that there was some
passion in her yet stronger than love。 I was taken with her。 It was a
long while since my heart had throbbed； so I was paid then and there
for I would give a thousand francs for a sensation that should bring
me back memories of youth。
〃 ' 〃Monsieur；〃 she said； finding a chair for me； 〃will you be so good
as to wait？〃
〃 ' 〃Until this time to…morrow； madame；〃 I said； folding up the bill
again。 〃I cannot legally protest this bill any sooner。〃 And within
myself I said〃Pay the price of your luxury； pay for your name； pay
for your ease； pay for the monopoly which you enjoy！ The rich have
invented judges and courts of law to secure their goods； and the
guillotinethat candle in which so many lie in silk； under silken
coverlets； there is remorse； and grinding of teeth beneath a smile；
and those fantastical lions' jaws are gaping to set their fangs in
your heart。〃
〃 ' 〃Protest the bill！ Can you mean it？〃 she cried； with her eyes upon
me； 〃could you have so little consideration for me？〃
〃 ' 〃If the King himself owed money to me； madame； and did not pay it；
I should summons him even sooner than any other debtor。〃
〃 'While we were speaking； somebody tapped gently at the door。
〃 ' 〃I cannot see any one；〃 she cried imperiously。
〃 ' 〃But； Anastasie； I particularly wish to speak to you。〃
〃 ' 〃Not just now； dear；〃 she answered in a milder tone； but with no
sign of relenting。
〃 ' 〃What nonsense！ You are talking to some one；〃 said the voice； and
in came a man who could only be the Count。
〃 'The Countess gave me a glance。 I saw how it was。 She was thoroughly
in my power。 There was a time； when I was young； and might perhaps
have been stupid enough not to protest the bill。 At Pondicherry； in
1763； I let a woman off； and nicely she paid me out afterwards。 I
deserved it； what call was there for me to trust her？
〃 ' 〃What does this gentleman want？〃 asked the Count。
〃 'I could see that the Countess was trembling from head to foot； the
white satin skin of her throat was rough； 〃turned to goose flesh；〃 to
use the familiar expression。 As for me； I laughed in myself without
moving a muscle。
〃 ' 〃This gentleman is one of my tradesmen；〃 she said。
〃 'The Count turned his back on me； I drew the bill half out of my
pocket。 After that inexorable movement； she came over to me and put a
diamond into my hands。 〃Take it；〃 she said； 〃and be gone。〃
〃 'We exchanged values； and I made my bow and went。 The diamond was
quite worth twelve hundred francs to me。 Out in the courtyard I saw a
swarm of flunkeys； brushing out their liveries； waxing their boots；
and cleaning sumptuous equipages。
〃 ' 〃This is what brings these people to me！〃 said I to myself。 〃It is
to keep up this kind of thing that they steal millions with all due
formalities； and betray their country。 The great lord； and the little
man who apes the great lord； bathes in mud once for all to save
himself a splash or two when he goes afoot through the streets。〃
〃 'Just then the great gates were opened to admit a cabriolet。 It was
the same young fellow who had brought the bill to me。
〃 ' 〃Sir；〃 I said； as he alighted； 〃here are two hundred francs； which
I beg you to return to Mme。 la Comtesse； and have the goodness to tell
her that I hold the pledge which she deposited with me this morning at
her disposition for a week。〃
〃 'He took the two hundred francs； and an ironical smile stole over
his face； it was as if he had said； 〃Aha！ so she has paid it； has she？
。 。 。 Faith； so much the better！〃 I read the Countess' future in his
face。 That good…looking； fair…haired young gentleman is a heartless
gambler； he will ruin himself； ruin her； ruin her husband； ruin the
children； eat up their portions； and work more havoc in Parisian
salons than a whole battery of howitzers in a regiment。
〃 'I went back to see Mlle。 Fanny in the Rue Montmartre； climbed a
very steep； narrow staircase； and reached a two…roomed dwelling on the
fifth floor。 Everything was as neat as a new ducat。 I did not see a
speck of dust on the furniture in the first room； where Mlle。 Fanny
was sitting。 Mlle。 Fanny herself was a young Parisian girl； quietly
dressed； with a delicate fresh face； and a winning look。 The
arrangement of her neatly brushed chestnut hair in a double curve on
her forehead lent a refined expression to blue eyes； clear as crystal。
The broad daylight streaming in through the short curtains against the
window pane fell with softened light on her girlish face。 A pile of
shaped pieces of linen told me that she was a sempstress。 She looked
like a spirit of solitude。 When I held out the bill； I remarked that
she had not been at home when I called in the morning。
〃 ' 〃But the money was left with the porter's wife；〃 said she。
〃 'I pretended not to understand。
〃 ' 〃You go out early； mademoiselle； it seems。〃
〃 ' 〃I very seldom leave my room； but when you work all night； you are
obliged to take a bath sometimes。〃
〃 'I looked at her。 A glance told me all about her life。 Here was a
girl condemned by misfortune to toil； a girl who came of honest farmer
folk； for she had still a freckle or two that told of country birth。
There was an indefinable atmosphere of goodness about her； I felt as
if I were breathing sincerity and frank innocence。 It was refreshing
to my lungs。 Poor innocent child； she had faith in something； there
was a crucifix and a sprig or two of green box above her poor little
painted wooden bedstead； I felt touched； or somewhat inclined that
way。 I felt ready to offer to charge no more than twelve per cent； and
so give something towards establishing her in a good way of business。
〃 ' 〃But maybe she has a little youngster of a cousin；〃 I said to
myself； 〃who would raise money on her signature and sponge on the poor
girl。〃
〃 'So I