“No, no, do not kneel,” said Claire; “if you knew of what you remind me, if you knew what a lying face, distorted with hatred, I saw at my feet last night!”

“Ah! but I am not lying,” replied Georges with a shudder.  “Claire, I implore you, in the name of our child—­”

At that moment some one knocked at the door.

“Rise, I beg of you!  You see that life has claims upon us,” she said in a low voice and with a bitter smile; then she asked what was wanted.

Monsieur Risler had sent for Monsieur to come down to the office.

“Very well,” she said; “say that he will come.”

Georges approached the door, but she stopped him.

“No, let me go.  He must not see you yet.”

“But—­”

“I wish you to stay here.  You have no idea of the indignation and wrath of that poor man, whom you have deceived.  If you had seen him last night, crushing his wife’s wrists!”

As she said it she looked him in the face with a curiosity most cruel to herself; but Georges did not wince, and replied simply: 

“My life belongs to him.”

“It belongs to me, too; and I do not wish you to go down.  There has been scandal enough in my father’s house.  Remember that the whole factory is aware of what is going on.  Every one is watching us, spying upon us.  It required all the authority of the foremen to keep the men busy to-day, to compel them to keep their inquisitive looks on their work.”

“But I shall seem to be hiding.”

“And suppose it were so!  That is just like a man.  They do not recoil from the worst crimes:  betraying a wife, betraying a friend; but the thought that they may be accused of being afraid touches them more keenly than anything.  Moreover, listen to what I say.  Sidonie has gone; she has gone forever; and if you leave this house I shall think that you have gone to join her.”

“Very well, I will stay,” said Georges.  “I will do whatever you wish.”

Claire descended into Planus’ office.

To see Risler striding to and fro, with his hands behind his back, as calm as usual, no one would ever have suspected all that had taken place in his life since the night before.  As for Sigismond, he was fairly beaming, for he saw nothing in it all beyond the fact that the notes had been paid at maturity and that the honor of the firm was safe.

When Madame Fromont appeared, Risler smiled sadly and shook his head.

“I thought that you would prefer to come down in his place; but you are not the one with whom I have to deal.  It is absolutely necessary that I should see Georges and talk with him.  We have paid the notes that fell due this morning; the crisis has passed; but we must come to an understanding about many matters.”

“Risler, my friend, I beg you to wait a little longer.”

“Why, Madame Chorche, there’s not a minute to lose.  Oh!  I suspect that you fear I may give way to an outbreak of anger.  Have no fear—­let him have no fear.  You know what I told you, that the honor of the house of Fromont is to be assured before my own.  I have endangered it by my fault.  First of all, I must repair the evil I have done or allowed to be done.”