Thereupon she moved away at a slow pace. Marcel stood there motionless, unable to remove his eyes from the ravishing figure, now slowly disappearing from view. Then he whistled for his dog, stroked him gently, as though to atone for his rough treatment a few moments previously, and returned, in pensive mood, to the works. After dinner he strolled about the garden, smoking, till nine o’clock; then, completely tired out, retired to rest for the night. The following morning he spent all his time in the laboratory. Suddenly the door opened, and Baudoin appeared. “Holla! You here?” said the young man. “Has my father sent you?” “Yes, sir. I am requested by all the family to convey to you their best love. Besides, I have come to stay by your side.” “For what purpose?” “To be your servant.” “Very good, Baudoin; make yourself at home. Your presence will be very useful here, in making things go all right. The inhabitants of this district are fine people on the whole, but not over-intelligent.” “We will put all that in order for you.” He walked round the laboratory, looking attentively at the objects on the table, and the alembics, with their copper spirals, on the stove. “So it is here that you are working! Who arranges things in this laboratory?” “No one enters the place but myself.” “So I see. However, I will clean your utensils; I know how to go about it. Are you working at the General’s formulæ?” “Not yet; I have had other things to attend to. Still, I intend to commence shortly. I am very glad you have come, for you will be at hand, in case I want any help. See here, Baudoin, these are blue, pink, and green dyes which I have fixed lately. They are capable of giving wool an unchangeable colour.” As he spoke, he handled hanks of a strong and harmonious shade, stretching them out before the light of day, and showing all their reflections. “Our poor General put this idea into my head. Ah! if he had only contented himself with undertaking industrial researches, we should still have had him alive and well among us, and in possession of a large fortune. But he disdained such productive discoveries; he thought only of the State. He would work for nothing else.” “After serving it so long, M. Marcel, it was second nature with him.” “Well, well, Baudoin! Settle down here, and commence your duties this very night.” Marcel stayed behind in the laboratory, inactive, as though some dull preoccupation would give him no peace. _He_ sat down in a large leather armchair he had gaily baptized the “alchemist’s armchair,” and, with open window to allow the sun to enter, he sat there in a reverie, until five o’clock struck.