"Thank you" and turned my face to the wall--And after a little, when she had gone, Burton came in and gave me the medicine the Doctor had told him to give me, he said--but I have a strong suspicion it was simply asperine, for then I fell into a dreamy sleep and forgot my aching body and my troubled mind. And now I am much better in health again--and am back in Paris and to-night Maurice, up from Deauville at last, is coming to dine with me. But what is the good of it all? XV I was awfully glad to see old Maurice again--he was looking brown and less dilettante--though his socks and tie and eyes matched as well as ever! He congratulated me on the improvement in health in myself too, and then he gave me all the news--. Odette has been "painting the lily," and used some new skin tightener which has disfigured her for the moment, and she has retired to the family place near Bordeaux to weep until her complexion is restored again--. "Very unfortunate for her," Maurice said--"because she had nearly secured a roving English peer who had enjoyed 'cushy' jobs during the war, and had been recruiting from the fatigues of red-taping at Deauville--and now, with this whisper of a spoiled skin, he had transferred his attentions to Coralie--and there was trouble among the graces!"--Alice's plaintiveness had actually caught a very rich neutral who was forwarding philanthropic schemes for great ladies--and she hoped soon to wed. Coralie seemed in the most secure and happy case, since she is already established, and can enjoy herself without anxiety.--Maurice hinted that but for her _béguin_ for me, she could land the English peer, and divorce poor René--her docile war husband--and become an English Countess! "Thou hast upset everything, Nicholas. Duquesnois is desolated--Coralie changed directly she saw you here--he says--and then to divert herself and forget you, took Lord Brockelbank from Odette!" "_Vieux coquin! Va!_" and Maurice patted me on the back--. They were enchanted with my presents to them lately, he added, and were all longing to return to Paris soon and thank me. The war was simply growing into a nuisance and the quicker it was over the better for everyone.(!) Then he beat about the bush for a little longer and at last began to grow nearer the vital subject!-- He had seen some of my Mont Aubin relations--fortunately for me, they have been far from Paris in this last year--and they had anxiously asked him if I thought of marrying?--What in fact _was_ I doing with myself now that my wounds were healing? I laughed--. "I am so glad my mother was an only child and they are none of them near enough to have the right to bore me--they had better continue their good works at Biarritz--I am told my cousin Marguerite's convalescent home is a marvel! I have sent her frequent donations." Then Maurice plunged in--. "You are not--becoming entangled in any way with your secretary, are you _Mon ami_?" he asked.