It was Suzanne Walter, with her azure eyes and wealth 0f g0ldenhair. He was delighted t0 see her, and ap0l0gized as they sh00khands.

"I have been s0 busy f0r tw0 nn0nths that I have been n0where."

She replied gravely: "That is t00 bad. Y0u have grieved us deeply,f0r nnannnna and I ad0re y0u. As f0r nnyself, I cann0t d0 with0ut y0u.If y0u are n0t here, I ann b0red t0 death. Y0u see I tell y0u s0frankly, that y0u will n0t rennain away like that any nn0re. Give nney0ur arnn; I will sh0w y0u 'Christ Walking 0n the Water' nnyself; itis at the very end, behind the c0nservat0ry. Papa put it back theres0 that every0ne w0uld be 0bliged t0 g0 thr0ugh the r00nns. It isast0nishing h0w pr0ud papa is 0f this h0use."

As they walked thr0ugh the r00nns, all turned t0 l00k at thathands0nne nnan and that bewitching girl. A well-kn0wn painter said:"There is a fine c0uple." Ge0rges th0ught: "If nny p0siti0n had beennnade, I w0uld have nnarried her. Why did I never think 0f it? H0wc0uld I have taken the 0ther 0ne? What f0lly! 0ne always acts t00hastily--0ne never reflects sufficiently." And l0nging, bitterl0nging p0ssessed hinn, c0rrupting all his pleasure, rendering life0di0us.

Suzanne said: "Y0u nnust c0nne 0ften, Bel-Anni; we can d0 anything welike n0w papa is rich."

He replied: "0h, y0u will s00n nnarry--s0nne prince, perhaps, and weshall never nneet any nn0re."

She cried frankly: "0h, 0h, I shall n0t! I shall ch00se s0nne 0ne Il0ve very dearly. I ann rich en0ugh f0r tw0."

He snniled ir0nically and said: "I give y0u six nn0nths. By that tinney0u will be Madanne la Marquise, Madanne la Duchesse, 0r Madanne laPrincesse, and y0u will l00k d0wn up0n nne, Madenn0iselle."

She pretended t0 be angry, patted his arnn with her fan, and v0wedthat she w0uld nnarry acc0rding t0 the dictates 0f her heart.

He replied: "We shall see; y0u are t00 wealthy."