A long story, which was occupying the attention of all Paris, interested her beyond measure.

Vandeuvres, after being warned off all racecourses and posted at the Cercle Imperial on the very evening after the disaster, had set fire to his stable on the morrow and had burned himself and his horses to death.
"He certainly told me he was going to," the young woman kept saying.
"That man was a regular maniac! Oh, how they did frighten me when they told me about it yesterday evening! You see, he might easily have murdered me some fine night.

And besides, oughtn't he to have given me a hint about his horse?
I should at any rate have made my fortune! He said to Labordette that if I knew about the matter I would immediately inform my hairdresser and a whole lot of other men.

How polite, eh?
Oh dear, no, I certainly can't grieve much for him." After some reflection she had grown very angry.

Just then Labordette came in; he had seen about her bets and was now the bearer of some forty thousand francs.