"Since we met the other day," Balzajette continued, "I have thought of you. And nothing more natural than that, for you inspired me with a quick sympathy. The first time you came to see me you pleased me immediately, and I told you you would make your way. Do you remember?" Assuredly he remembered; and of all the visits that he made to the doctors and druggists of his quarter, that to Balzajette was the hardest. It was impossible to show more pride, haughtiness, and disdain than Balzajette had put into his reception of the then unknown young man. "I told you what I thought of you," continued Balzajette. "It is with regard to this patient of whom you spoke to me; you remember?" "Madame Dammauville?" "Exactly. I put her on her feet, as I told you, but since then this bad weather has compelled her to take to her bed again. Without doubt, it is only an affair of a few days; but in the mean time, the poor woman is irritable and impatient. You know women, young 'confrere'. To calm this impatience, I spontaneously proposed a consultation, and naturally pronounced your name, which is well known by your fine work on the medullary lesions. I supported it, as was proper, with the esteem that it has acquired, and I have the satisfaction to see it accepted." Saniel thanked him as if he believed in the perfect sincerity of this spontaneous proposition. "I like the young, and whenever an occasion presents itself, I shall be happy to introduce you to my clientage. For Madame Dammauville, when can you go with me to see her?" As Saniel appeared to hesitate, Balzajette, mistaking the cause of his silence, persisted. "She is impatient," he said. "Let us go the first day that is possible." He must reply, and in these conditions a refusal would be inexplicable. "Will to-morrow suit you?" he asked. "To-morrow, by all means. At what hour?" Before replying, Saniel went to his desk and consulted an almanac, which appeared perfectly ridiculous to Balzajette. "Does he imagine, the young 'confrere', that I am going to believe his time so fully occupied that he must make a special arrangement to give me an hour?" But it was not an arrangement of this kind that Saniel sought. His almanac gave the rising and the setting of the sun, and it was the exact hour of sunset that he wished: "26 March, 6h. 20m." At this moment it would not be dark enough at Madame Dammauville's for lamps to be lighted, and yet it would be dark enough to prevent her from seeing him clearly in the uncertain light of evening. "Will a quarter past six suit you? I will call for you at six o'clock." "Very well. Only I shall ask you to be very exact; I have a dinner at seven o'clock in the Rue Royale." Saniel promised promptness. The dinner was a favorable circumstance, enabling him to escape from Madame Dammauville's before the lamps would be lighted. When Balzajette was gone, he rejoined Phillis in the dining-room.