"Yes."

"Very well; talk to him of gardening and crops; he enjoys those
subjects."

"All right. I shall not forget."

She left him, after lavishing upon him innumerable caresses.




CHAPTER VIII.

DEATH AND A PROPOSAL


Duroy moved his effects to the apartments in Rue de Constantinople.
Two or three times a week, Mme. de-Marelle paid him visits. Duroy,
to counterbalance them, dined at her house every Thursday, and
delighted her husband by talking agriculture to him.

It was almost the end of February. Duroy was free from care. One
night, when he returned home, he found a letter under his door. He
examined the postmark; it was from Cannes. Having opened it, he
read:

"Cannes, Villa Jolie."

"Dear sir and friend: You told me, did you not, that I could