Denyse was the first to arrive at the hotel. Jean de Blaye was rather behind time, and when he did appear, he looked sad, and his face was very pale. He had met Madame de Nezel by appointment, but she had only come to break off entirely with him, and this freedom was of no use to him now; but, at the same time, there was nothing left for him to do but accept his fate. They were both wretched and discontented with each other, and yet they had been obliged to stay together at their trysting-place, because Bijou, escorted by the old housekeeper Josephine, had been rambling up and down the lonely lane for a good part of the afternoon. She had gone backwards and forwards as though in search of something, and with a persistency which Jean could not understand, and which made him feel very uneasy. When they were driving across the square by the station at three o'clock, she had, perhaps, seen Madame de Nezel turning down Lilac Lane. If that were so, she had probably wanted to assure herself whether her suspicions were correct. How inquisitive and fond of ferreting she must be, then--this Denyse whom he loved so dearly, and who had, without knowing it, ruined his whole life. He apologised for his unpunctuality, and helped Bijou into the carriage, whilst she assured him in the sweetest way that he was not late at all. Just as he was wondering how he could ask her what she had been doing, she volunteered the information he wanted. "Do you know you will have your gardenias for to-morrow after all? But it _has_ been difficult to get them. I have been running about all over Pont-sur-Loire nearly all the afternoon. They sent me to the queerest little streets, where I got lost, and never found the place at all." Delighted at this proof of Bijou's innocence, Jean exclaimed involuntarily: "Ah! that was what you were hanging about for in Lilac Lane?" She fixed her large astonished eyes on him, as she asked: "However did you know? Did you see me?" "I did not," he answered quickly; "one of my friends told me." "Who was it? Do I know him--your friend?" "I don't think so; he's an officer in Bernes' regiment. Ah, by the bye, what do you think! The poor little actress you heard last night--well, she has killed herself!" "Yes, I know; it is a great pity!" Bijou said this in a tone which made it impossible to continue the conversation on this topic. She was so dignified, and her meaning was so plain, that Jean almost regretted having said a word to her of this affair, considering that it was a trifle delicate; but, after all, as he said to himself, Bijou was no child; she would soon be twenty-two! * * * * * At four o'clock, M. de Clagny arrived at Bracieux, his heart beating fast at the thought of seeing Bijou again, and of seeing her quite free and unconstrained as usual, for she would not yet know of his proposal.