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It was time to leave。 Mme。 Hemerlingue went to the door with some of the ladies； presented her forehead to the old princess； bent under the benediction of the Armenian bishop； nodded with a smile to the young men with the canes； found for each the fitting adieu with perfect ease； and the wretched man could not prevent himself from comparing this Eastern slave； so Parisian； so distinguished in the best society of the world； with the other； the European brutalized by the East； stupefied with Turkish tobacco； and swollen with idleness。 His ambitions； his pride as a husband； were extinguished and humiliated in this marriage of which he saw the danger and the emptinessa final cruelty of fate taking from him even the refuge of personal happiness from all his public disasters。
Little by little the room was emptied。 The Levantines disappeared one after another； leaving each time an immense void in their place。 Mme。 Jenkins was gone； and only two or three ladies remained whom Jansoulet did not know； and behind whom the mistress of the house seemed to shelter herself from him。 But Hemerlingue was free； and the Nabob rejoined him at the moment when he was furtively escaping to his offices on the same floor opposite his rooms。 Jansoulet went out with him； forgetting in his trouble to salute the baroness； and once on the antechamber staircase； Hemerlingue； cold and reserved while he was under his wife's eye； expanded a little。
〃It is very annoying；〃 said he in a low voice； as if he feared to be overheard； 〃that Mme。 Jansoulet has not been willing to come。〃
Jansoulet answered him by a movement of despair and savage helplessness。
〃Annoying； annoying；〃 repeated the other in a whisper； and feeling for his key in his pocket。
〃Come； old fellow；〃 said the Nabob； taking his hand； 〃there's no reason； because our wives don't agree That doesn't hinder us from remaining friends。 What a good chat the other day； eh？〃
〃No doubt〃 said the baron； disengaging himself； as he opened the door noiselessly； showing the deep workroom； whose lamp burned solitarily before the enormous empty chair。 〃Come； good…bye； I must go； I have my mail to despatch。〃
〃/Ya didon； monci/〃 （But look here； sir） said the poor Nabob； trying to joke； and using the /patois/ of the south to recall to his old chum all the pleasant memories stirred up the other evening。 〃Our visit to Le Merquier still holds good。 The picture we were going to present to him； you know。 What day？〃
〃Ah； yes； Le Merquiertrueehwell； soon。 I will write to you。〃
〃Really？ You know it is very important。〃
〃Yes； yes。 I will write to you。 Good…bye。〃
And the big man shut his door in a hurry； as if he were afraid of his wife coming。
Two days after； the Nabob received a note from Hemerlingue； almost unreadable on account of the complicated scrawls； of abbreviations more or less commercial； under which the ex…sutler hid his entire want of spelling：
MY DEAR OLD COM/I cannot accom/ you to Le Mer/。 Too bus/ just now。 Besid/ y/ will be bet/ alone to tal/。 Go th/ bold/。 You are exp/。 A/ Cassette； ev/ morn/ 8 to 10。
Yours faith/
HEM。
Below as a postscript； a very small hand had written very legibly：
〃A religious picture； as good as possible。〃
What was he to think of this letter？ Was there real good…will in it； or polite evasion？ In any case hesitation was no longer possible。 Time pressed。 Jansoulet made a bold effort； thenfor he was very frightened of Le Merquierand called on him one morning。
Our strange Paris； alike in its population and its aspects； seems a specimen map of the whole world。 In the Marais there are narrow streets； with old sculptured worm…eaten doors； with overhanging gables and balconies； which remind you of old Heidelberg。 The Faubourg Saint… Honore； lying round the Russian church with its white minarets and golden domes； seems a part of Moscow。 On Montmartre I know a picturesque and crowded corner which is simply Algiers。 Little； low； clean houses； each with its brass plate and little front garden； are English streets between Neuilly and the Champs…Elysees while all behind the apse of Saint…Sulpice； the Rue Feron； the Rue Cassette； lying peaceably in the shadow of its great towers； roughly paved； their doors each with its knocker； seem lifted out of some provincial and religious townTours or Orleans； for examplein the district of the cathedral or the palace； where the great over…hanging trees in the gardens rock themselves to the sound of the bells and the choir。
It was there； in the neighbourhood of the Catholic Clubof which he had just been made honorary presidentthat M。 Le Merquier lived。 He was /avocat/； deputy for Lyons； business man of all the great communities of France； and Hemerlingue； moved by a deep…seated instinct； had intrusted him with the affairs of his firm。
He arrived before nine o'clock at an old mansion of which the ground floor was occupied by a religious bookshop； asleep in the odour of the sacristy； and of the thick gray paper on which the stories of miracles are printed for hawkers； and mounted the great whitewashed convent stairway。 Jansoulet was touched by this provincial and Catholic atmosphere； in which revived the souvenirs of his past in the south； impressions of infancy still intact； thanks to his long absence from home； and since his arrival at Paris he had had neither the time nor the occasion to call them in question。 Fashionable hypocrisy had presented itself to him in all its forms save that of religious integrity； and he refused now to believe in the venality of a man who lived in such surroundings。 Introduced into the /avocat's/ waiting… rooma vast parlour with fine white muslin curtains； having for its sole ornament a large and beautiful copy of Tintoretto's Dead Christ his doubt and trouble changed into indignant conviction。 It was not possible！ He had been deceived as to Le Merquier。 There was surely some bold slander in it； such as so easily spreads in Parisor perhaps it was one of those ferocious snares among which he had stumbled for six months。 No； this stern conscience； so well known in Parliament and the courts； this cold and austere personage； could not be treated like those great swollen pashas with loosened waist…belts and floating sleeves open to conceal the bags of gold。 He would only expose himself to a scandalous refusal； to the legitimate revolt of outraged honour； if he attempted such means of corruption。
The Nabob told himself all this； as he sat on the oak bench which ran round the room； a bench polished with serge dresses and the rough cloth of cassocks。 In spite of the early hour several persons were waiting there with him。 A Dominican； ascetic and serene； walking up and down with great strides； two sisters of charity； buried under their caps； counting long rosaries which measured their time of waiting； priests from Lyons； recognisable by the shape of their hats； others reserved and severe in air； sitting at the great ebony table which filled the middle of the room； and turning over some of those pious journals printed at Fouvieres； just above Lyons； the /Echo of Purgatory/； the /Rose…bush of Mary/； which give as a present to all yearly subscribers pontifical indulgences and rem