When this young woman had walked nearly half way down the street, she paused again to study the numbers, and finding herself opposite Number 57, she gave a quick start, and pressed her hand upon her heart, as if to quiet its throbbings; then, after standing a moment perfectly motionless, she directed her steps towards the porte-cochère, then paused again in evident hesitation, but having seen several notices announcing that there were apartments to rent in the house, she resolutely entered the courtyard and walked straight to the porter's lodge. "You have several apartments to rent, I see, monsieur," she said to the concierge. "Yes, madame. The first and the third floor, and two separate rooms." "The first floor would be too dear for me, I fear. The third would probably suit me better. What do you ask for it?" "Six hundred francs, madame. That is the lowest, for it has just been freshly done up." "How many rooms are there?" "A kitchen, a small dining-room, a parlour, a large bedchamber with a big dressing-room, and another small room that would do for a servant. If madame will go up-stairs, she can see for herself." "I would first like to know who lives in the house. I am a widow and live alone, so you can understand why I ask this question." "Certainly, madame. The house is very respectable and extremely quiet. The first floor is not occupied, as I told you. A professor in the law school, a highly respectable man, lives on the second floor. He has a wife but no children. The third floor is the one I offered to madame. On the fourth floor there are two small rooms which are occupied by a young man. When I say a young man I don't exactly mean that, however, for M. Michel Renaud must be about thirty." On hearing the name of Michel Renaud, the young woman, in spite of her self-control, turned first red and then pale, a sad smile flitted across her lips, and her large black eyes gleamed more brightly under their long lashes; but, conquering her emotion, she replied calmly and with a well-feigned air of indifference: "And the rooms on the third floor are directly under those occupied by this gentleman, I suppose?" "Yes, madame." "Is the gentleman married?" "No, madame." "I hope you will not be surprised at the questions I put to you, but I have such a horror of a noise over my head, and of bad company, that I should like to be sure that my future neighbour is not boisterous like so many young men, and that his acquaintances are not such persons as it would be disagreeable for me to meet on the stairways as I go and come." "M. Michel Renaud have any such company as that! Oh, no, madame; oh, no!" exclaimed the concierge, indignantly. An expression of hope and joy irradiated the lady's sad face for an instant, and she replied, with a smile: "I had no intention of maligning the gentleman, and the evident astonishment my question causes you is very reassuring."