“Suppose that it is not true.”

“Oh, but it is!  He told that old shark Clergeot so, who repeated it to me.  Any way, he must be plotting something in that head of his; for the last month he has been so peculiar, he has changed so, that I hardly recognize him.”

Old Tabaret was especially anxious to know whether Noel had prepared an alibi for the evening of the crime.  For him that was the grand question.  If he had, he was certainly guilty; if not, he might still be innocent.  Madame Juliette, he had no doubt, could enlighten him on that point.

Consequently he had presented himself with his lesson all prepared, his little trap all set.

The young woman’s outburst disconcerted him a little; but trusting to the chances of conversation, he resumed.

“Will you oppose Noel’s marriage, then?”

“His marriage!” cried Juliette, bursting out into a laugh; “ah, the poor boy!  If he meets no worse obstacle than myself, his path will be smooth.  Let him marry by all means, the sooner the better, and let me hear no more of him.”

“You don’t love him, then?” asked the old fellow, surprised at this amiable frankness.

“Listen, sir.  I have loved him a great deal, but everything has an end.  For four years, I, who am so fond of pleasure, have passed an intolerable existence.  If Noel doesn’t leave me, I shall be obliged to leave him.  I am tired of having a lover who is ashamed of me and who despises me.”

“If he despises you, my pretty lady, he scarcely shows it here,” replied old Tabaret, casting a significant glance about the room.

“You mean,” said she rising, “that he spends a great deal of money on me.  It’s true.  He pretends that he has ruined himself on my account; it’s very possible.  But what’s that to me!  I am not a grabbing woman; and I would much have preferred less money and more regard.  My extravagance has been inspired by anger and want of occupation.  M. Gerdy treats me like a mercenary woman; and so I act like one.  We are quits.”

“You know very well that he worships you.”

“He?  I tell you he is ashamed of me.  He hides me as though I were some horrible disease.  You are the first of his friends to whom I have ever spoken.  Ask him how often he takes me out.  One would think that my presence dishonoured him.  Why, no longer ago than last Tuesday, we went to the theatre!  He hired an entire box.  But do you think that he sat in it with me?  Not at all.  He slipped away and I saw no more of him the whole evening.”

“How so?  Were you obliged to return home alone?”

“No.  At the end of the play, towards midnight, he deigned to reappear.  We had arranged to go to the masked ball at the Opera and then to have some supper.  Ah, it was amusing!  At the ball, he didn’t dare to let down his hood, or take off his mask.  At supper, I had to treat him like a perfect stranger, because some of his friends were present.”