“‘I thought,’ said Napoleon III, delighted by my bewilderment, ’I thought that it was correct to have some one of the Gentlemen of my Chamber wait upon the arrival of these Mussulman dignitaries.  That is why you are here, my poor Bielowsky.  Don’t be frightened,’ he added, laughing harder.  ’You will have M. Duveyrier with you.  You are charged only with the special part of the reception:  to accompany these princes to the lunch that I am giving them to-morrow at the Tuileries; then, in the evening, discreetly on account of their religious scruples, to succeed in giving them a very high idea of Parisian civilization, with nothing exaggerated:  do not forget that in the Sahara they are very high religious dignitaries.  In that respect, I have confidence in your tact and give you carte blanche....  Mocquard!’

“‘Sire?’

“’You will apportion on the budget, half to Foreign Affairs, half to the Colonies, the funds Count Bielowsky will need for the reception of the Tuareg delegation.  It seems to me that a hundred thousand francs, to begin....  The Count has only to tell you if he is forced to exceed that figure.’

“Clementine lived on the Rue Boccador, in a little Moorish pavilion that I had bought for her from M. de Lesseps.  I found her in bed.  When she saw me, she burst into tears.

“‘Great fools that we are!’ she murmured amidst her sobs, ’what have we done!’

“‘Clementine, tell me!’

“‘What have we done, what have we done!’ she repeated, and I felt against me, her floods of black hair, her warm cheek which was fragrant with eau de Nanon.

“‘What is it?  What can it be?’

“‘It is....’ and she murmured something in my ear.

“‘No!’ I said, stupefied.  ‘Are you quite sure?’

“‘Am I quite sure!’

“I was thunderstruck.

“‘You don’t seem much pleased,’ she said sharply.

“’I did not say that....  Though, really, I am very much pleased, I assure you.’

“‘Prove it to me:  let us spend the day together tomorrow.’

“‘To-morrow!’ I stammered.  ‘Impossible!’

“‘Why?’ she demanded suspiciously.

“’Because to-morrow, I have to pilot the Tuareg mission about Paris.  The Emperor’s orders.’

“‘What bluff is this?’ asked Clementine.

“‘I admit that nothing so much resembles a lie as the truth.’

“I retold Mocquard’s story to Clementine, as well as I could.  She listened to me with an expression that said:  ’you can’t fool me that way.’

“Finally, furious, I burst out: 

“’You can see for yourself.  I am dining with them, tomorrow; and I invite you.’

“‘I shall be very pleased to come,’ said Clementine with great dignity.

“I admit that I lacked self-control at that minute.  But think what a day it had been!  Forty thousand francs of bills as soon as I woke up.  The ordeal of escorting the savages around Paris all the next day.  And, quite unexpectedly, the announcement of an approaching irregular paternity....