The maid ushered the young man into the room, and retired. When he entered the boudoir, Pigeonnier deemed it fitting to assume an air at once tender and melancholy; so he stepped forward and saluted Madame Plays with an expression bordering on the tragic. "It's you, is it, monsieur?" she said. "But I remember, you were my chevalier. Well! what news do you bring me?" Tobie struck an attitude, and replied: "It is, in very truth, as your chevalier that I present myself, madame; you ordered me to avenge your wrongs by fighting with Albert, and I have obeyed you." "Oho! indeed! you have fought a duel with him, have you?" "Yes, madame." "When was that?" "This morning, at Saint-Mandé. A thousand witnesses can inform you that I went there with Albert." "And what did you fight with?" "Swords, madame." "Well! what was the result?" "I fulfilled your wishes to the utmost, madame; you wished me to kill Albert, and I have killed him--a sword-thrust in the breast; he died on the spot. I shed tears over my victory, I am not ashamed to admit it.--But as I placed my hand on the poor fellow's heart, to find out whether he still breathed, I felt this cigar in his pocket, and took it. You desired a token of my victory: this is the only one that I can offer you." Madame Plays listened to Tobie with the air of one who could not believe what she heard; but when he had concluded, she rushed at him with a furious gesture and cried, snatching the cigar from his hand: "You have killed him! Can it be possible? such a lovely boy! the only man I have ever loved! Yes, I was saying to myself this morning: 'I have never loved any man but him.'--And you had the villainy to kill him! and you come to tell me of it, you murderer!" Tobie was utterly crushed. "But, madame," he faltered, "I simply carried out your orders; you ordered me to avenge you." "That is not true! I couldn't have said that. Or if I did, I was mad, and you shouldn't have paid any attention to it." "But, madame----" "To think of killing Albert! such a handsome brunette, and such lovely eyes! Take yourself out of my sight, monsieur--go instantly, or I won't answer for the effects of my anger. Go, I say, you monster, you villain!" "What, madame! when I fought solely to avenge you----" "Oh! what infamy! to say that it was I who---- Leave the room, monsieur!" Seeing that Tobie did not stir, Madame Plays pushed him roughly toward the door. The little fellow, who was nearly overturned by the shock, clung to a chair, and could not make up his mind what to do. Meanwhile, the robust lady opened the door herself, and, while Pigeonnier's back was turned, kicked him with all her force. "Oho! you refuse to go, do you?" By that means, Tobie was at last ejected from the room, and the door was instantly closed and locked upon him. He flew into a rage in his turn, and muttered angrily as he descended the stairs: