As to that poor Mimi, he stands in great need of a loan himself; a fall in stocks has cleaned him out--he can't even bring me flowers now." She was speaking of Daguenet.

In the self-abandonment of her awakening she had no secrets from Zoe, and the latter, inured to such confidences, received them with respectful sympathy.

Since Madame condescended to speak to her of her affairs she would permit herself to say what she thought.

Besides, she was very fond of Madame; she had left Mme Blanche for the express purpose of taking service with her, and heaven knew Mme Blanche was straining every nerve to have her again! Situations weren't lacking; she was pretty well known, but she would have stayed with Madame even in narrow circumstances, because she believed in Madame's future.

And she concluded by stating her advice with precision.