Turning this resolve over in his mind, he made his way on foot to the Rue Murillo about two o'clock. He stopped before the shop window of an art dealer whom he knew very well, and his eyes fell upon a Louis XVI. watch, its chased gold case set in a wreath of roses and bearing a charming miniature. 'An excellent means,' he thought, 'of proving to her that I am for the _status quo._' He bought the pretty toy at a reasonable price, and congratulated himself upon its acquisition when, on entering Suzanne's little _salon_, he saw how anxiously she had awaited his coming. Her careworn look and her pallor told him that she must have spent the night in concocting plans to get out of the dilemma into which the scene with René had led her, and by the way in which she eyed him the Baron saw that she knew she had not escaped his perspicacity. This compliment was like balm to his wounded vanity, and he felt real pleasure in handing her the case containing the little bauble with the words, 'How do you like this?' 'It is charming,' said Suzanne; 'the shepherd and shepherdess are most life-like.' 'Yes,' replied Desforges; 'they almost look as though they were singing the romance of those days: 'I gave up all for fickle Sylvia's sake, She leaves me now and takes another swain . . .' His fine and well-trained tenor voice had once gained him some success in the drawing-rooms, and he hummed the refrain of the well-known lament with a variation of his own: 'Love's pangs last but a moment, Love's pleasures last for life . . .' 'If you will place this shepherd and shepherdess on a corner of your table, they will be better than with me.' 'How you spoil me!' said Suzanne, with some embarrassment. 'No,' replied Desforges, 'I spoil myself. Am I not your friend before all else?' Then, kissing her hand, he added in a serious tone that contrasted with his usual bantering accents, 'And you will never have a better.'