"Now it is my turn," he said; "I too must give up everything. Here is my portfolio. What else have I? What else have I?" He searched his pockets feverishly. "Ah! my watch. With the chain it will bring four-thousand francs. My rings, my wedding-ring. Everything goes into the cash-box, everything. We have a hundred thousand francs to pay this morning. As soon as it is daylight we must go to work, sell out and pay our debts. I know some one who wants the house at Asnieres. That can be settled at once." He alone spoke and acted. Sigismond and Madame Georges watched him without speaking. As for Sidonie, she seemed unconscious, lifeless. The cold air blowing from the garden through the little door, which was opened at the time of Risler's swoon, made her shiver, and she mechanically drew the folds of her scarf around her shoulders, her eyes fixed on vacancy, her thoughts wandering. Did she not hear the violins of her ball, which reached their ears in the intervals of silence, like bursts of savage irony, with the heavy thud of the dancers shaking the floors? An iron hand, falling upon her, aroused her abruptly from her torpor. Risler had taken her by the arm, and, leading her before his partner's wife, he said: "Down on your knees!" Madame Fromont drew back, remonstrating: "No, no, Risler, not that." "It must be," said the implacable Risler. "Restitution, reparation! Down on your knees then, wretched woman!" And with irresistible force he threw Sidonie at Claire's feet; then, still holding her arm; "You will repeat after me, word for word, what I say: Madame--" Sidonie, half dead with fear, repeated faintly: "Madame--" "A whole lifetime of humility and submission--" "A whole lifetime of humil-- No, I can not!" she exclaimed, springing to her feet with the agility of a deer; and, wresting herself from Risler's grasp, through that open door which had tempted her from the beginning of this horrible scene, luring her out into the darkness of the night to the liberty obtainable by flight, she rushed from the house, braving the falling snow and the wind that stung her bare shoulders. "Stop her, stop her!--Risler, Planus, I implore you! In pity's name do not let her go in this way," cried Claire. Planus stepped toward the door. Risler detained him. "I forbid you to stir! I ask your pardon, Madame, but we have more important matters than this to consider. Madame Risler concerns us no longer. We have to save the honor of the house of Fromont, which alone is at stake, which alone fills my thoughts at this moment." Sigismond put out his hand. "You are a noble man, Risler. Forgive me for having suspected you." Risler pretended not to hear him. "A hundred thousand francs to pay, you say? How much is there left in the strong-box?"