Saniel turned pale and his lips quiver.

"Mais voila!" continued Balzajette. "He made this sacrifice to his new
functions; the student has disappeared before the professor."

He might have continued along time. Neither Madame Dammauville nor
Saniel listened to him; but, thinking of his dinner, he was not going to
launch into a discourse that at any other moment he would not have failed
to undertake. He rose to go.

As Saniel bowed, Madame Dammauville stopped him with a movement of her
hand.

"Did you not know this unfortunate who was assassinated opposite?" she
asked, pointing to the windows.

So serious as was an acknowledgment, Saniel could not answer in the
negative.

"I was called in to prove his death," he said.

And he took several steps toward the door, but she stopped him again.

"Had you business with him?" she asked.

"I saw him several times."

Balzajette cut short this conversation, which was idle talk to him.

"Good evening, dear Madame. I will see you tomorrow, but not in the