Volume V Part 33 (2/2)

Then, having wiped the dust off his hat, brushed his coat and removed the mud stains from his boots, he set forth in search of the Rue de l'Eperlan, without venturing to nized and arousing suspicions

At length, being unable to find the place, he saw a priest passing by, and, trusting to the professional discretion which churchmen possess, he questioned the ecclesiastic

He had only a hundred steps farther to go; it was exactly the second street to the right

Then he hesitated Up to that moment, he had obeyed, like a mere aniitated, confused, hu himself--the son--in the presence of this woman who had been his father's mistress All the morality which lies buried in our breasts, heaped up at the bottom of our sensuous emotions by centuries of hereditary instruction, all that he had been taught since he had learned his catechism about creatures of evil life, to instinctive conteh he may marry one of them, all the narrow honesty of the peasant in his character, was stirred up within hirow red with shame

But he said to himself:

”I promised the father, I ave a push to the door of the house bearing the nu staircase, ascended three flights, perceived a door, then a second door, ca, which resounded in the aparth his fra lady very well dressed, a brunette with a fresh coazed at him with eyes of astonishment

He did not knohat to say to her, and she who suspected nothing, and aiting for the other, did not invite hi thus at one another for nearly half-a- tone:

”You have soly replied:

”I aave a start, turned pale, and sta time:

”Monsieur Cesar?”

”Yes”

”And what next?”

”I have come to speak to you on the part of my father”

She articulated:

”Oh ht enter He shut the door and followed her into the interior Then he saw a little boy of four or five years playing with a cat, seated on a floor in front of a stove, fro kept hot

”Take a seat,” she said

He sat down

She asked:

”Well?”