And as one of Monsieur's servants, recognizing him, had asked him if he wished to see Monsieur or Madame, Raoul had scarcely answered him, but had sunk down upon a bench near the velvet doorway, looking at a clock, which had stopped for nearly an hour.

The servant had passed on, and another, better acquainted with him, had come up, and interrogated Raoul whether he should inform M.de Guiche of his being there.

This name did not even arouse the recollections of Raoul.

The persistent servant went on to relate that De Guiche had just invented a new game of lottery, and was teaching it to the ladies.

Raoul, opening his large eyes, like the absent man in Theophrastus, made no answer, but his sadness increased two shades.