"That ring I have at home. I am keeping it carefully; some day, I hope that it will help me--to avenge the poor girl." "And you won't tell us the man's name?" "What good would it do? The whole thing is too shocking. The criminal's name had better remain a secret until the victim is avenged." Frédérique did not say a word, but she kept her eyes fastened upon me all the while. The time for returning to Paris arrived, and I was not sorry. The story of Annette had saddened Rosette and made Frédérique very thoughtful. We returned to our cab. Balloquet continued to do the amiable with Madame Dauberny; I verily believe that he asked her permission to call to pay his respects. What a self-sufficient puppy! I did not hear her reply. Rosette pinched me, probably because I was not listening to what she said. I wanted to take Frédérique home; Balloquet insisted, on the contrary, that Rosette and I should be set down first. We were on the point of quarrelling. Rosette said nothing, and I thought that she had fallen asleep. Madame Dauberny put an end to our discussion by calling to the cabman to stop on the boulevard. She hastily alighted, bade us adieu, and hurried away. But Balloquet instantly opened the door, crying: "I won't allow that lady to go away alone; the idea! I am going to escort her!" I tried to hold him back by seizing his coat tails. I told him that Madame Dauberny did not want his escort, that she preferred to go alone. He would not listen to me. He leaped out of the cab, tearing off one whole skirt of his coat, and disappeared. "What's the matter with you to-night, my friend?" said Rosette; "you interfere with everybody; you find fault with whatever we do, and tear people's coats!" "That doesn't concern you." "How polite my lover is to-day!" "To which aunt shall I take you this evening, mademoiselle?" "Faubourg Saint-Denis, as usual." "By the way, you haven't told me yet where you were perching yesterday, when I had the kindness--I might well say, the folly--to look for you at all your aunts' lodgings." "Do you want to make me unhappy?" "Answer me!" "I told you that I was with a friend." "Oh, yes! at the sponge dealer's, perhaps?" "What an outrage! Instead of saying such things, you would do well to kiss me. It seems that we don't get beyond compliments to-day!" In truth, she was right; I had rebuked her enough all day; the least I could do was to compensate her at that moment. XL A SICK CHILD