Volume I Part 34 (1/2)

”Above all things, don't :

”Are you afraid of being heard?”

”No,” I said, ”but I a the man who sleeps in the rooot near the house I felt as frightened as ato the dentist's All the ere dark, so no doubt everybody was asleep, and I breathed again I opened the door as carefully as a thief, let my fair companion in, shut it behindirl should make a false step

As we passed the landlady's door I feltvery quickly, but we reached the second floor, then the third, and at last the fifth, and got into my room Victory!

However, I only dared to speak in a whisper, and took off my boots so as not to make any noise The tea, which I made over a spirit-la, till little by little, as if in play, I, one by one, took off , blushi+ng, confused

She had absolutely nothing more on except a short white petticoat when aran appeared with a candle in her hand, in exactly the same costu up, looking at the to to happen?

My landlady said, in a lofty tone of voice which I had never heard from her before:

”Monsieur Kervelen, I will not have prostitutes in aran,” I sta lady is a friend of mine She just came in to have a cup of tea”

”People don't take tea in their cheo directly”

Ean to cry, and hid her face in her petticoat, and I lostwhat to do or say My landlady added, with irresistible authority:

”Help her to dress, and take her out at once”

It was certainly the only thing I could do, so I picked up her dress froan to fasten it as best I could She helpedall sorts of mistakes and unable to find either buttonholes or laces, while Maran stood byat us with the severity of a judge

As soon as E to button her boots, she rushed past the landlady and ran down stairs I followed her in : ”Madeht to say so I overtook her just by the street-door, and tried to take her intoin a low, nervous voice:

”Leave me alone, leavethe door behind her

When I went upstairs again I found that M, and I went up slowly, expecting, and ready for, anything

Her door was open, and she calledin a severe voice:

”I want to speak to you, M Kervelen”