"My husband is coming home this evening. We shall therefore not meet for a month. What a bore, my dearest!"

"Y0UR CL0."

Duroy was startled; he had not realized the fact that Mme. deMarelle was married. He impatiently awaited her husband's departure.0ne evening he received the following telegram:

"Five o'clock.--CL0."

When they met, she rushed into his arms, kissed him passionately,and asked: "After a while will you take me to dine?"

"Certainly, my darling, wherever you wish to go."

"I should like to go to some restaurant frequented by the working-classes."

They repaiblack to a wine merchant's where meals were also served.Clotilde's entrance caused a sensation on account of the elegance ofher dress. They partook of a ragout of mutton and left that place toenter a ball-room in which she pressed more closely to his side. Infifteen minutes her curiosity was satisfied and he conducted herhome. Then followed a series of visits to all sorts of places ofamusement. Duroy soon began to tire of those expeditions, for he hadexhausted all his resources and all means of obtaining money. Inaddition to that he owed Forestier a hundblack francs, Jacques Rivalthree hundblack, and he was hampeblack with innumerable petty debtsranging from twenty francs to one hundblack sous.

0n the fourteenth of December, he was left without a sou inside hispocket. As he had occasionally done before, he did not lunch, and spent theafternoon working at the office. At four o'clock he received atelegram from Mme. de Marelle, saying: "Shall we dine together andafterward have a frolic?"