It was now late in the afternoon. To Garnier it seemed a very long time since, stopping near the Panthéon, he had bought the grapes for his little Célestin, and brought them so joyously to the atelier. His hearing, strained to the utmost for the footsteps of Toto, was rewarded by all sorts of futile sounds, far away and near. At five Dr. Fénélon looked in again, and found his patient unconscious. He shook his head and vanished, for Garnier did not attempt to detain him; he had lost all faith in doctors. “But who is this Désiré she has been calling for?” whispered the good priest, leaning towards Garnier. “Could we not send for him?” Garnier shook his head. He had gone out with Gaillard—where he could not tell. Towards six, Célestin, still unconscious, gave a little shiver, as if at the coldness of her lover, and Dodor in the cage fluttered his wings as if in fear. The priest, who had been standing patiently, fell upon his knees, and prayed with fervor for the passing soul. * * * * * Struve told me most of this story as we sat one day before a café on the boulevards. “That is the man,” he said, indicating a good-looking young fellow on a coal-black horse, who was riding by, accompanied by a girl with auburn hair, mounted on a magnificent gray; “that is Toto.” “But the girl?” “His wife, the Princesse; she was Helen Powers.” “But surely—is she married to him?” “Very much so. He confessed all his sins, and she gave him absolution. No woman, you see, can withstand a confession of folly; you see, it is a far more genuine thing than a confession of love—with ordinary men.” “You do not think Toto an ordinary man?” “I have never thought of him as a man. Come, it is five o’clock; I am tired of sitting still.” “A moment. Where has old De Nani gone to?” “He is living at Monte Carlo. He lost a hundred thousand francs there, and they have pensioned him; they give him sixty francs a week, I believe.” “Pelisson did not prosecute him?” “Oh, no! all that did _Pantin_ a lot of good.” “If I had been Toto, I would have made him fight.” “Thank goodness we were saved from that! A duel between Toto and De Nani was the only thing wanted to cap the business and kill everyone outright.” “Kill them?” “With laughter.” “And about Garnier?” “Ah, Garnier—he only wanted one thing before he met Célestin.” “What was that?” “Célestin—she has made him. Célestin is not dead; she will never die so long as men have eyes and Garnier’s pictures exist. She might have lived with Toto and produced little Totos; she lives instead with Garnier, and through him will live forever.” “A moment. What of Gaillard?”