husband from leaving her. "Ah! well, monsieur," she exclaimed, "I
declare to you that I must have Van Klopen's twenty-eight thousand
francs before this evening. I will have them, too; I am resolved
to have them, and you will give them to me."

"Oh!" thundered the baron, "you WILL have them--you will----" He
paused, and then, after a moment's reflection, he said: "Very
well. So be it! I will give you this amount, but not just now.
Still if, as you say, it is absolutely necessary that you should
have it to-day, there is a means of procuring it. Pawn your
diamonds for thirty thousand francs--I authorize you to do so; and
I give you my word of honor that I will redeem them within a week.
Say, will you do this?" And, as the baroness made no reply, he
continued: "You don't answer! shall I tell you why? It is because
your diamonds were long since sold and replaced by imitation ones;
it is because you are head over heels in debt; it is because you
have stooped so low as to borrow your maid's savings; it is
because you already owe three thousand francs to one of my
coachmen; it is because our steward lends you money at the rate of
thirty or forty per cent."

"It is false!"

The baron sneered. "You certainly must think me a much greater
fool than I really am!" he replied. "I'm not often at home, it's
true--the sight of you exasperates me; but I know what's going on.
You believe me your dupe, but you are altogether mistaken. It is
not twenty-seven thousand francs you owe Van Klopen, but fifty or
sixty thousand. However, he is careful not to demand payment. If
he brought me a bill this morning, it was only because you had