Tatan Nene and Louise Violaine were of her opinion.

The former told them that she had enjoyed the most roaring jolly good times with soldiers.

Oh, they were good fellows and would have done any mortal thing for the girls.

But as the ladies had raised their voices unduly Rose Mignon, still sitting on the chest by the bed, silenced them with a softly whispered "Hush!" They stood quite still at this and glanced obliquely toward the dead woman, as though this request for silence had emanated from the very shadows of the curtains.

In the heavy, peaceful stillness which ensued, a void, deathly stillness which made them conscious of the stiff dead body lying stretched close by them, the cries of the mob burst forth: "A BERLIN! A BERLIN! A BERLIN!" But soon they forgot.