Volume VIII Part 61 (1/2)

Then he clasped her in his arms and kissed her hair, affected himself

”Mathilde, my little Mathilde, listen You ive a supper-party to ot at the Salon I cannot receive woht to understand that It is not the same with artists as with other people”

She stammered in the midst of her tears:

”Why didn't you tell me this?”

He replied:

”It was in order not to annoy you, not to give you pain Listen, I' to see you home You will be very sensible, very nice; you will re for me in bed, and I'll come back as soon as it's over”

She ain?”

”No, I swear to you!”

He turned towards M Saval, who had at last hooked on the chandelier:

”My dear friend, I a back in five minutes If any one arrives in my absence, do the honors for me, will you not?”

And he carried off Mathilde, who kept drying her eyes with her handkerchief as she went along

Left to hi around hihted the wax candles, and waited

He waited for a quarter of an hour, half an hour, an hour Romantin did not return Then, suddenly, there was a dreadful noise on the stairs, a song shouted out in chorus by twenty iment The whole house was shaken by the steady tra appeared-- one another arround, in proper ti itself They howled:

”Coay!”

M Saval, thunderstruck, re dress under the chandelier The procession of revelers caught sight of him, and uttered a shout:

”A Jea round hi him with a circle of vociferations Then they took each other by the hand and went dancing about madly

He attempted to explain:

”Messieurs--messieurs--mesdames--”

But they did not listen to him They whirled about, they ju ceased M Saval uttered the word:

”Messieurs--”

A tall young fellow, fair-haired and bearded to the nose, interrupted him:

”What's your name, my friend?”