Léonie heaved a more profound sigh than before, and as she had no handkerchief, she lifted a corner of her peignoir and put it to her eyes. That movement discovered some very seductive things; but when one is weeping, one cannot think of everything, and when one's eyes are covered, one cannot see what one has disclosed. Auguste, distrusting his weakness, continued to lean over the rail, and did not take his eyes from the concierge's door. "Well, Tony, are you coming back to-night?" he cried. Léonie walked to where he stood and said in a touching voice: "Mon Dieu! what on earth have I done to you, monsieur?" "What have you done to me, madame? Why, it seems to me that you know quite as well as I do." "Oh! monsieur, how can an intelligent man trust appearances?" "It seems to me, madame, that no intelligence was required to see what I saw." "Why, what did you see, monsieur? May not a woman dine with a man at a restaurant without having the slightest preference for him? And you yourself, monsieur--what were you doing with that creature who had the impertinence to hold a mustard pot under my nose?" "Oh! I am more honest than you, madame: I admit that I deceived you." "Ah! what an unhappy creature I am!" And Léonie had recourse to her usual expedient--she fainted; but she was careful to fall toward Auguste, who found himself with his neighbor in his arms. At that moment little Tony came upstairs and said that it was impossible to understand what Schtrack said, as he was drunk. Auguste gently laid Léonie on the stairs and told Tony to look after her; then he went down to interview his concierge, who was half asleep and could hardly speak. "Has Bertrand come in?" demanded Auguste, shaking the old German's arm; whereupon he raised his head and sent a puff of wine-laden breath into the young man's face as he hiccoughed: "Pertrand! sacretié! Pertrand!" "Come, Schtrack, speak out; you were with him, weren't you?" "Ya." "Where is he?" "Haf you not found him?" "If I had found him, should I be questioning you? Where is he? where did you leave him? why didn't he come home with you?" "Sacretié! I vas not strong enough to carry Pertrand; he could not valk no more; but ve haf ein pig lot trunken." "So I see; but where shall I find Bertrand?" "Ach! you vill see him quite vell; dere is no tanger! He is in a safe blace--up the street. Go up und up--near the Parrière Montmartre." "Is he in a wine-shop?" "No; don't I tell you that you vill see him quite vell?" Unable to extract any further information from Schtrack, Auguste decided to go in search of Bertrand; he succeeded in getting the door opened, and went out in the middle of the night to try to find his faithful comrade, with no other guide than the very vague information given him by Schtrack. From Rue Saint-Georges where he lived, he went by way of Rue Saint-Lazare to Rue des Martyrs, knowing that Montmartre was Bertrand's usual promenade.