As he did so the smile died away on his lips, for he caught sight of his friend's face.
"What is the matter ?" exclaimed he, anxiously.

"Is Sabine worse?
Has she had a relapse ?" De Breulh shook his head, but the expression of his face clearly said,-- "Would to heavens it were only that!" But the news that Sabine was not worse relieved Andre at once, and he patiently waited for his friend to explain.
"I have seen her twice for you," answered De Breulh; "but it is absolutely necessary that you should come to a prompt decision on an important affair." "I am quite at your service," returned Andre a good deal surprised and troubled.
"Then come with me at once, I did not drive here, but we shall not be more than a quarter of an hour in reaching my house." "I will follow you almost immediately.

I only ask five minutes' grace to go up to the scaffold again." "Have you any orders to give ?" "No, I have none." "Why should you go, then ?" "To make myself a little more presentable." "Is it an annoyance or inconvenience for you to go out in that dress ?" "Not a bit, I am thoroughly used to it; but it was for your sake." "If that is all, come along." "But people will stare at seeing you in company with a common workman." "Let them stare." And drawing Andre's arm through his, M.de Breulh set off.
Andre was right; many persons did turn round to look at the fashionably dressed gentleman walking arm in arm with a mason in his working attire, but De Breulh took but little heed, and to all Andre's questions simply said, "Wait till we reach my house." At length they arrived, without having exchanged twenty words, and entering the library closed the door.

M.de Breulh did not inflict the torture of suspense upon his young friend a moment longer than was necessary.
"This morning, about twelve o'clock, as I was crossing the Avenue de Matignon, I saw Modeste, who had been waiting for you more than an hour." "I could not help it." "I know that.

As soon as she saw me, she ran up to me at once.