"Ah, well, my young friend, the same thing has happened to you that has happened to many other lovers. Mariette was not aware that you were the son of a millionaire; I presented myself in your absence, and offered her what has never yet failed to turn the head of a half-starved grisette. Her godmother, who was also dying of hunger, craved the fleshpots of Egypt, naturally,--and, well, '_les absents ont toujours tort_,' you know. Ha, ha, you understand!" "My God!" groaned Louis, his anger giving place to profound despair. "My God! it is true, then." "If I had known that I was interfering with a prospective client, I would have abstained, I assure you. Now it is too late. Besides, there are as good fish in the sea--You know the proverb. Come, my young friend, don't take it so much to heart. The girl was entirely too young for you. She needs training. You will find plenty of charming women already trained and thoroughly trained. I can particularly recommend a certain Madame----" "Wretch!" exclaimed Louis, seizing the man of affairs by the collar, "wretch!--" "Monsieur, you shall answer for this!" exclaimed the commandant, trying to wrench himself from his rival's iron grasp. Just then the door opened suddenly, and, at the sound of a loud laugh, both men turned simultaneously. "Saint-Herem!" exclaimed Louis, recognising his old schoolmate. "You here!" exclaimed Florestan de Saint-Herem, while the usurer, adjusting the collar of his dressing-gown, muttered savagely under his breath: "What the devil brought Saint-Herem here just at this most inopportune moment, I should like to know!" CHAPTER IX. COMMANDANT DE LA MIRAUDIÈRE'S ANTECEDENTS. M. de Saint-Herem was a handsome man, not over thirty years of age, with a remarkably distinguished manner and bearing. His refined and rather spirituelle face sometimes wore an expression of extreme superciliousness, as when he addressed any remark to Commandant de la Miraudière, for instance; but at the sight of his old schoolmate he seemed to experience the liveliest joy. He even embraced him affectionately, and Louis returned the embrace heartily, spite of the conflicting emotions that agitated him. But this manifestation of surprise and pleasure over, the chief actors in the scene relapsed into the same mood they had been in when Saint-Herem so unexpectedly burst in upon them, and Louis, pale with anger, continued to cast such wrathful glances at the usurer that M. de Saint-Herem said to that gentleman, with a mocking air: "You must admit that I arrived very opportunely. But for my timely appearance upon the scene of action, it seems to me my friend Louis would soon have taken all the starch out of you." "To dare to lay his hand on me, an old soldier!" exclaimed the commandant, advancing a step toward Louis. "This matter shall not be allowed to end here, M. Richard." "That is for you to say, M. de la Miraudière."