But it so chanced that Pierre barred her way, for he wished to submit an idea to her before leaving the bazaar.

"Madame," said he, "since that man Laveuve is dead, and you have taken so much trouble with regard to the bed which you now have vacant, will you be so good as to keep it vacant until I have seen our venerable friend, Abbe Rose?
I am to see him this evening, and he knows so many cases of want, and would be so glad to relieve one of them, and bring you some poor _protege_ of his." "Yes, certainly," stammered the Baroness, "I shall be very happy,--I will wait a little, as you desire,--of course, of course, Monsieur l'Abbe." She was trembling all over; she no longer knew what she was saying; and, unable to conquer her passion, she turned aside from the priest, unaware even that he was still there, when Gerard, yielding to the dolorous entreaty of her eyes, at last managed to escape from Camille and join her.
"What a stranger you are becoming, my friend!" she said aloud, with a forced smile.

"One never sees you now." "Why, I have been poorly," he replied, in his amiable way.

"Yes, I assure you I have been ailing a little." He, ailing! She looked at him with maternal anxiety, quite upset.

And, indeed, however proud and lofty his figure, his handsome regular face did seem to her paler than usual.