The only question that deserved serious consideration just now was to know where this meeting would be the least dangerous for him—­at Madame Dammauville’s or at the Palais?

He reflected silently, paying no more attention to Phillis than if she were not present, his eyes fixed, his brow contracted, his lips tightly closed, when the doorbell rang.  As Joseph was at his post, Saniel did not move.

“If it is a patient,” Phillis said, who did not wish to go yet, “I will wait in the dining-room.”

And she rose.

Before she could leave the room, Joseph entered.

“Doctor Balzajette,” he said.

“You see!” Phillis cried.

Without replying, Saniel made a sign to Joseph to admit Doctor Balzajette, and while Phillis silently disappeared, he went toward the parlor.

Balzajette came forward with both hands extended.

“Good-day, my young ‘confrere’.  I am enchanted to meet you.”

The reception was benevolent, amicable, and protecting, and Saniel replied at his best.

“Since we met the other day,” Balzajette continued, “I have thought of you.  And nothing more natural than that, for you inspired me with a quick sympathy.  The first time you came to see me you pleased me immediately, and I told you you would make your way.  Do you remember?”

Assuredly he remembered; and of all the visits that he made to the doctors and druggists of his quarter, that to Balzajette was the hardest.  It was impossible to show more pride, haughtiness, and disdain than Balzajette had put into his reception of the then unknown young man.

“I told you what I thought of you,” continued Balzajette.  “It is with regard to this patient of whom you spoke to me; you remember?”

“Madame Dammauville?”

“Exactly.  I put her on her feet, as I told you, but since then this bad weather has compelled her to take to her bed again.  Without doubt, it is only an affair of a few days; but in the mean time, the poor woman is irritable and impatient.  You know women, young ‘confrere’.  To calm this impatience, I spontaneously proposed a consultation, and naturally pronounced your name, which is well known by your fine work on the medullary lesions.  I supported it, as was proper, with the esteem that it has acquired, and I have the satisfaction to see it accepted.”

Saniel thanked him as if he believed in the perfect sincerity of this spontaneous proposition.

“I like the young, and whenever an occasion presents itself, I shall be happy to introduce you to my clientage.  For Madame Dammauville, when can you go with me to see her?”

As Saniel appeared to hesitate, Balzajette, mistaking the cause of his silence, persisted.

“She is impatient,” he said.  “Let us go the first day that is possible.”

He must reply, and in these conditions a refusal would be inexplicable.

“Will to-morrow suit you?” he asked.