"What's that? why, what you say is very true," replied Athalie, going to a mirror to arrange her curls. "Bless my soul! how pale I am to-day! It frightens me! I am going to have one of my nervous attacks, I feel sure." It was at that moment that Monsieur de la Thomassinière entered the salon, assuming a more self-important air, a heavier tread than usual, and with a frown already prepared, lest his visitor should ask him for a loan. "Who on earth was it who desired to see you, monsieur?" queried Athalie, still looking at herself in the mirror. "A person who had some very important information to communicate, madame, and who preferred not to come in, knowing that I had company; indeed, it is a nuisance to have company all the time, and I propose to adopt the plan of not receiving visitors when I am at home." "Parbleu! you can do better than that, Monsieur de la Thomassinière," said Auguste, laughingly. "You should imitate a lady of my acquaintance, who, when she had not put on her red paint and white paint and blue paint--in a word, when she had not finished beautifying herself--used to go to the door herself and say: 'I am not at home.'" "Ha! ha! that is very good!" said Athalie; "but I feel rather uncomfortable, and I believe that I will go and lie down." The petite-maîtresse left the room with a slight nod to Auguste, while La Thomassinière continued to pace the floor, frowning ominously. "Well, Monsieur de la Thomassinière, how's business?" said the young man, leaning back in his chair, while the parvenu seemed not to know what to do with himself. "Business, monsieur? Oh! you mean speculation." "Are you still making money fast?" "Yes, monsieur; a man ought to make money, it's a duty, it's what we were made for." "Parbleu! then you must teach me your secret, for I have never known how to do anything but spend it. But I must mend my ways; I must turn my attention to making my living, and for that purpose it seems to me that I cannot apply to a better man than you." La Thomassinière, convinced that Auguste was leading up to a request for a loan, pretended that he had not heard, and said, with a glance at his wallet: "I lack thirty thousand francs of the amount necessary to buy some notes that have just been offered me--a splendid chance. I know that I can obtain that amount easily enough, that I have only to open my mouth and mention my name; but it annoys me, because I can't endure to have recourse to anyone, even though it is only for an hour." Auguste was diverted by this comedy, and said after a while: "By the way, Monsieur de la Thomassinière, how is your good mother, the excellent Madame Thomas, whose unexpected arrival caused you so much pleasure the last time that I dined with you?" The parvenu blushed, bit his lips and stammered: