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place in a torrent and in a valley？ You will tell me that in these days the principal attraction lies in the scenic effect； and the title is a capital advertisement。And did you enjoy it； my little friend？〃 he continued； sitting down before the child。
When the notary pursued his inquiries as to the possibilities of a drama in the bed of a torrent； the little girl turned slowly away and began to cry。 Her mother did not notice this in her intense annoyance。
〃Oh！ yes； monsieur； I enjoyed it very much；〃 said the child。 〃There is a dear little boy in the play； and he was all alone in the world； because his papa could not have been his real papa。 And when he came to the top of the bridge over the torrent； a big； naughty man with a beard； dressed all in black； came and threw him into the water。 And then Helene began to sob and cry； and everybody scolded us； and father brought us away quick； quick〃
M。 de Vandenesse and the Marquise looked on in dull amazement； as if all power to think or move had been suddenly paralyzed。
〃Do be quiet； Gustave！〃 cried the General。 〃I told you that you were not to talk about anything that happened at the play； and you have forgotten what I said already。〃
〃Oh； my lord Marquis； your lordship must excuse him；〃 cried the notary。 〃I ought not to have asked questions； but I had no idea〃
〃He ought not to have answered them；〃 said the General； looking sternly at the child。
It seemed that the Marquise and the master of the house both perfectly understood why the children had come back so suddenly。 Mme。 d'Aiglemont looked at her daughter； and rose as if to go to her； but a terrible convulsion passed over her face； and all that could be read in it was relentless severity。
〃That will do； Helene；〃 she said。 〃Go into the other room； and leave off crying。〃
〃What can she have done； poor child！〃 asked the notary； thinking to appease the mother's anger and to stop Helene's tears at one stroke。 〃So pretty as she his； she must be as good as can be； never anything but a joy to her mother； I will be bound。 Isn't that so； my little girl？〃
Helene cowered； looked at her mother； dried her eyes； struggled for composure； and took refuge in the next room。
〃And you； madame； are too good a mother not to love all your children alike。 You are too good a woman； besides； to have any of those lamentable preferences which have such fatal effects； as we lawyers have only too much reason to know。 Society goes through our hands； we see its passions in that most revolting form； greed。 Here it is the mother of a family trying to disinherit her husband's children to enrich the others whom she loves better； or it is the husband who tries to leave all his property to the child who has done his best to earn his mother's hatred。 And then begin quarrels； and fears； and deeds； and defeasances； and sham sales； and trusts； and all the rest of it； a pretty mess； in fact； it is pitiable； upon my honor； pitiable！ There are fathers that will spend their whole lives in cheating their children and robbing their wives。 Yes； robbing is the only word for it。 We were talking of tragedy； oh！ I can assure you of this that if we were at liberty to tell the real reasons of some donations that I know of； our modern dramatists would have the material for some sensational /bourgeois/ dramas。 How the wife manages to get her way； as she invariably does； I cannot think； for in spite of appearances； and in spite of their weakness； it is always the women who carry the day。 Ah！ by the way； they don't take /me/ in。 I always know the reason at the bottom of those predilections which the world politely styles 'unaccountable。' But in justice to the husbands； I must say that /they/ never discover anything。 You will tell me that this is a merciful dispens〃
Helene had come back to the drawing…room with her father； and was listening attentively。 So well did she understand all that was said； that she gave her mother a frightened glance； feeling； with a child's quick instinct； that these remarks would aggravate the punishment hanging over her。 The Marquise turned her white face to Vandenesse； and； with terror in her eyes； indicated her husband； who stood with his eyes fixed absently on the flower pattern of the carpet。 The diplomatist； accomplished man of the world though he was； could no longer contain his wrath； he gave the man of law a withering glance。
〃Step this way； sir；〃 he said； and he went hurriedly to the door of the ante…chamber； the notary left his sentence half finished； and followed； quaking； and the husband and wife were left together。
〃Now； sir〃 said the Marquise de Vandenessehe banged the drawing…room door； and spoke with concentrated rage〃ever since dinner you have done nothing but make blunders and talk folly。 For heaven's sake； go。 You will make the most frightful mischief before you have done。 If you are a clever man in your profession； keep to your profession； and if by any chance you should go into society； endeavor to be more circumspect。〃
With that he went back to the drawing…room； and did not even wish the notary good…evening。 For a moment that worthy stood dumfounded； bewildered； utterly at a loss。 Then； when the buzzing in his ears subsided； he thought he heard someone moaning in the next room。 Footsteps came and went； and bells were violently rung。 He was by no means anxious to meet the Marquis again； and found the use of his legs to make good his escape； only to run against a hurrying crowd of servants at the door。
〃Just the way of all these grand folk；〃 said he to himself outside in the street as he looked about for a cab。 〃They lead you on to talk with compliments； and you think you are amusing them。 Not a bit of it。 They treat you insolently； put you at a distance； even put you out at the door without scruple。 After all； I talked very cleverly； I said nothing but what was sensible； well turned； and discreet； and； upon my word； he advises me to be more circumspect in future。 I will take good care of that！ Eh！ the mischief take it！ I am a notary and a member of my chamber！Pshaw！ it was an ambassador's fit of temper； nothing is sacred for people of that kind。 To…morrow he shall explain what he meant by saying that I had done nothing but blunder and talk nonsense in his house。 I will ask him for an explanationthat is； I will ask him to explain my mistake。 After all is done and said； I am in the wrong perhaps Upon my word； it is very good of me to cudgel my brains like this。 What business is it of mine？〃
So the notary went home and laid the enigma before his spouse； with a complete account of the evening's events related in sequence。
And she replied； 〃My dear Crottat； His Excellency was perfectly right when he said that you had done nothing but blunder and talk folly。〃
〃Why？〃
〃My dear； if I told you why； it would not prevent you from doing the same thing somewhere else to…morrow。 I tell you againtalk of nothing but business when you go out； that is my advice to you。〃
〃If you will not tell me； I shall ask him to…morrow〃
〃Why； dear me！ the veriest noodle is careful to hide a thing of that kind； and do you suppose that an ambassador will tell you about it？ Really； Crottat； I have never known you so utterly devoid of common… sense。〃
〃Thank you； my dear。〃
V。
TWO MEETINGS
One of Napoleon's orderly staff…officers； who shall be known in this history only as the General or the Marquis； had come to spend the spring at Versailles。 He made a large fortune under the Restoration； and as his place at Court would not allow him to go very far from Paris； he had taken a country house between the church and the barrier of Montreuil； on the road that leads to the Avenue de Saint…Cloud。
The house had been built originally as a retreat for the short…lived loves of some /grand seigneur/。 The grounds were very large； the gardens on either side extending from the first houses of Montreuil to the thatched cottages near the barrier； so that the owner could enjoy all the pleasures of solitude with the city almost at his gates。 By an odd piece of contradiction； the whole front of the house itself； with the principal entrance； gave directly upon the street。 Perhaps in time past it was a tolerably lonely road； and indeed this theory looks all the more probable when one comes to think of it； for not so very far away； on this same road； Louis Quinze built a delicious summer villa for Mlle。 de Romans； and the curious in such things will discover that the wayside /casinos/ are adorned in a style that recalls traditions of the ingenious taste displayed in debauchery by our ancestors who； with all the license paid to their charge； sought to invest it with secrecy and mystery。
One winter evening the family were by themselves in the lonely house。 The servants had received permission to go to Versailles to celebrate the wedding of one of their number。 It was Christmas time； and the holiday makers； presuming upon the double festival； did not scruple to outstay their leave of absence； yet； as the General was well known to be a man of his word； the culprits felt some twinges of conscience as they danced on after the hour of return。 The clocks struck eleven； and still there was no sign of the servants。
A deep silence prevail