He went to the back of the studio and rummaged among all sorts of gear and fetched out a tremendously thick chain, the colour of rusty iron, which did not clank while being handled. "It won't be cold and won't weigh you down," he said with a short, forced laugh. "It's made of papier maché." Then she had to suffer his coming close to her and laying the chain about her body. He was panting and his breath streamed upon her hotly. Each tremulous touch of his fingers was like a sabre slash. He returned to the easel, groped for the brushes and began to paint again. Suddenly he cast everything from him, seized the picture with both hands and dashed it against the easel. One of the rods tore through the canvas and split it in two. "For God's sake!" cried Lilly, horror-stricken. He threw himself upon her. She feebly attempted to defend herself with the chain. But the chain was made of papier maché. And she would not have had it otherwise. Down into the mire, quickly, with closed eyes! * * * * * The next day Richard paid his customary afternoon visit. His lids were reddened and his eyes glassy. He looked completely crushed, but he behaved as if nothing had occurred. Lilly had scarcely expected him, and she received him with frigid astonishment. "Oh," he said, "on account of yesterday. After you left I had a tough discussion with mama. You mustn't come to the factory. I had to promise her that. As for the rest, I think we'll not speak of it any more. The young lady's leaving this evening. So let's kiss." They kissed. And all was as before. CHAPTER X Once more the chestnuts put on their yellow cloaks and the peep holes in the foliage widened. From her window Lilly could see the ducks foraging, and the odorous, fruit-laden barges on their laborious way to market sunk deep in the water under their summer cargo. Once more the world muffled itself up for winter weather; once more metropolitan amusements turned on their gay lights. In decent half-mourning the chase began again. Richard objected to remaining like a pickle in a jar. This time, however, they entirely renounced box seats at dazzling shows and suppers at aristocratic restaurants. Richard no longer had to establish himself triumphantly in the possession of a famous--at the same time cheap--_horizontale de grande marque_. They quietly remained on a middle-class level, where German champagne reigns supreme and the star Kempinski is in the ascendant. But here, too, in cabarets and theatres where smoking is allowed, in jolly little nooks and respectable looking back rooms, they passed numberless hours in riotous abandon. The women, who in the other world had felt somewhat out of place and embarrassed, enjoyed themselves better in these more modest surroundings, and the gentlemen were content that their shirt fronts retained the starch longer.