The cold wind that blew had already dried the pavement. Shopmen were hurriedly turning out of every street in the neighbourhood, their coat-collars turned up, and their hands in their pockets, taken unawares by this first chill of winter. Most of them hurried along alone, and disappeared in the depths of the warehouse, without addressing a word or look to their colleagues marching along by their side. Others were walking in twos and threes, talking fast, and taking up the whole of the pavement; while they all threw away with a similar gesture, their cigarette or cigar before crossing the threshold. Denise noticed that several of these gentlemen took stock of her in passing. This increased her timidity; she felt quite unable to follow them, and resolved to wait till they had all entered before going in, blushing at the idea of being elbowed at the door by all these men. But the stream continued, so to escape their looks, she took a walk round. When she returned to the principal entrance, she found a tall young man, pale and awkward, who appeared to be waiting as she was. “I beg your pardon, mademoiselle,” he finished by stammering out, “but perhaps you belong to the establishment?” She was so troubled at hearing a stranger address her in this way that she did not reply at first. “The fact is,” he continued, getting more confused than ever, “I thought of asking them to engage me, and you might have given me a little information.” He was as timid as she was, and had probably risked speaking to her because he felt she was trembling like himself. “I would with pleasure, sir,” replied she at last “But I'm no better off than you are; I'm just going to apply myself.” “Ah, very good,” said he, quite out of countenance. And they blushed violently, their two timidities remaining face to face for a moment, affected by the similarity of their positions, not daring, however, to wish each other success openly. Then, as they said nothing further, and became more and more uncomfortable, they separated awkwardly, and recommenced their waiting, one on either side, a few steps apart.