was extreme when he had to own that the state of his finances forbade
it. "All I can suggest, my dear Leonie," he concluded, "is that I shall
be your escort when you leave. It is abominable that you must have
other partners in the meantime, but I feel that you will be constant to
me in your thoughts. I shall have much to tell you--I shall whisper a
secret in your ear; for, incredible as it may sound, my sweet child,
you alone in Paris have the power to save me!"

"Oh, monsieur!" faltered the admiring lady's-maid, "it has always been
my great ambition to save a young man, especially a young man who used
such lovely language. I am sure, by the way you talk, that you must be
a poet!"

"Extraordinary," mused Tricotrin, "that all the world recognises me as
a poet, excepting when it reads my poetry!" And this led him to reflect
that he must sell some of it, in order to provide refreshment for
Leonie before he begged her aid. Accordingly, he arranged to meet her
when the ball finished, and limped back to the attic, where he made up
a choice assortment of his wares.

He had resolved to try the office of _Le Demi-Mot;_ but his
reception there was cold. "You should not presume on our good nature,"
demurred the Editor; "only last month we had an article on you, saying
that you were highly talented, and now you ask us to publish your work
besides. There must be a limit to such things."

He examined the collection, nevertheless, with a depreciatory
countenance, and offered ten francs for three of the finest specimens.
"From _Le Demi-Mot_ I would counsel you to accept low terms," he
said, with engaging interest, "on account of the prestige you, derive