Thereupon Saccard attitudinized, and showed himself gallant. Laure d'Aurigny came and joined them for a moment. She complained that Maxime scarcely paid her one visit a month. But he pretended that he had been very much occupied, which statement made everybody laugh. He added that in future he should be here, there and everywhere. "I have written a tragedy," said he, "and I only hit on the fifth act last night--I now mean to rest myself at the abodes of all the pretty women in Paris." He laughed and enjoyed his allusions which he alone could understand. However, the only other persons now remaining in the drawing-room were Rozan and Larsonneau, on either corner of the mantelpiece. The Saccards rose up, as well as the fair-haired woman who lived in the house. The d'Aurigny then went to speak in a low tone to the duke. He seemed surprised and vexed. Seeing that he did not make up his mind to leave his arm-chair: "No, really, not this evening," she said in an undertone, "I've a headache! To-morrow evening, I promise you." Rozan had to obey. Laure waited till he was on the landing and then said quickly in Larsonneau's ear: "Eh! big Lar, I keep my word. Shove him into his carriage." When the fair-haired woman took leave of the gentlemen to return to her rooms on the floor above, Saccard was surprised that Maxime did not follow her. "Well?" he asked him. "Well, no," replied the young fellow. "I've reflected--" And he had an idea which he thought a very funny one: "I abandon my rights to you, if you like. Make haste, she hasn't yet shut her door." But his father gently shrugged his shoulders, saying: "Thanks, youngster, I've something better than that for the time being." The four men went down. Outside, the duke absolutely wished to take Larsonneau with him in his carriage. His mother lived in the Marais, and he would have dropped the expropriation agent at his door in the Rue de Rivoli. The latter refused, however, shut the carriage door himself, and told the coachman to drive off. And he then lingered on the side-walk of the Boulevard Haussmann, talking with the two others instead of going away. "Ah, poor Rozan!" said Saccard, who suddenly understood the truth. Larsonneau swore that it was not so, that he didn't care a fig for all that, that he was a practical man. And as the other two continued joking, and the cold was very keen, he finished by exclaiming: "'Pon my word, so much the worse; I'm going to ring! You are indiscreet, gentlemen." "Good night!" called Maxime, as the door closed again.