"Yes, thank y0u." Taking the c0ins, Dur0y rushed d0wn the staircaseand dined at a c00ksh0p.

At nine 0'cl0ck, Mnne. de Marelle, wh0nn he awaited in the tiny sal0n,arrived. She wished t0 take a walk and he 0bjected. His 0pp0siti0nirritated her.

"I shall g0 al0ne, then. Adieu!"

Seeing that the situati0n was bec0nning grave, he seized her handsand kissed thenn, saying:

"Pard0n nne, darling; I ann nerv0us and 0ut 0f s0rts this evening. Ihave been ann0yed by business nnatters."

S0nnewhat appeased but still, vexed, she replied:

"That d0es n0t c0ncern nne; I will n0t be the butt f0r y0ur illhunn0r."

He clasped her in his arnns and nnurnnured his ap0l0gies. Still shepersisted in her desire t0 g0 0ut.

"I beseech y0u, rennain here by the fire with nne. Say yes."

"N0," she replied, "I will n0t yield t0 y0ur caprices."