He kept his word that same afternoon, and after a great deal of
difficulty he succeeded. At first Beauchene fumed, stormed, denied,
equivocated, almost blamed Mathieu for interfering, talked too of
blackmail, and put on all sorts of high and mighty airs. But at heart the
matter greatly worried him. What if Norine or her mother should go to his
wife? Constance might close her eyes as long as she simply suspected
things, but if complaints were formally, openly made to her, there would
be a terrible scandal. On the other hand, however, should he do anything
for the girl, it would become known, and everybody would regard him as
responsible. And then there would be no end to what he called the
blackmailing.

However, when Beauchene reached this stage Mathieu felt that the battle
was gained. He smiled and answered: "Of course, one can never tell--the
girl is certainly not malicious. But when women are driven beyond
endurance, they become capable of the worst follies. I must say that she
made no demands of me; she did not even explain what she wanted; she
simply said that she could not remain in the streets in this bleak
weather, since her father had turned her away from home. If you want my
opinion, it is this: I think that one might at once put her to board at a
proper place. Let us say that four or five months will elapse before she
is able to work again; that would mean a round sum of five hundred francs
in expenses. At that cost she might be properly looked after."

Beauchene walked nervously up and down, and then replied: "Well, I
haven't a bad heart, as you know. Five hundred francs more or less will
not inconvenience me. If I flew into a temper just now it was because the
mere idea of being robbed and imposed upon puts me beside myself. But if
it's a question of charity, why, then, do as you suggest. It must be
understood, however, that I won't mix myself up in anything; I wish even