ou　round　to　call　on　him　myself。　I　will　show　you　how　the　thing　is　worked。〃
  And　delighted　at　the　amazement　of　the　Nabob；　who；　to　flatter　him；　exaggerated　his　surprise　still　further；　and　opened　his　eyes　wide　with　an　air　of　admiration；　the　banker　enlarged　the　scope　of　his　lesson　made　of　it　a　veritable　course　of　Parisian　and　worldly　philosophy。
  〃See；　old　comrade；　what　one　has　to　look　after　in　Paris；　above　everything　else；　is　the　keeping　up　of　appearances。　They　are　the　only　things　that　countappearances！　Now　you　have　not　sufficient　care　for　them。　You　go　about　town；　your　waistcoat　unbuttoned；　a　good…humoured　fellow；　talking　of　your　affairs；　just　what　you　are　by　nature。　You　stroll　around　just　as　you　would　in　the　bazaars　of　Tunis。　That　is　how　you　have　come　to　get　bowled　over；　my　good　Bernard。〃
  He　paused　to　take　breath；　feeling　quite　exhausted。　In　an　hour　he　had　walked　farther　and　spoken　more　than　he　was　accustomed　to　do　in　the　course　of　a　whole　year。　They　noticed；　as　they　stopped；　that　their　walk　and　conversation　had　led　them　back　in　the　direction　of　Mora's　grave；　which　was　situated　just　above　a　little　exposed　plateau；　whence　looking　over　a　thousand　closely　packed　roofs；　they　could　see　Montmartre；　the　Buttes　Chaumont；　their　rounded　outline　in　the　distance　looking　like　high　waves。　In　the　hollows　lights　were　already　beginning　to　twinkle；　like　ships'　lanterns；　through　the　violet　mists　that　were　rising；　chimneys　seemed　to　leap　upward　like　masts；　or　steamer　funnels　discharging　their　smoke。　Those　three　undulations；　with　the　tide　of　Pere　Lachaise；　were　clearly　suggestive　of　waves　of　the　sea；　following　each　other　at　equal　intervals。　The　sky　was　bright；　as　often　happens　in　the　evening　of　a　rainy　day；　an　immense　sky；　shaded　with　tints　of　dawn；　against　which　the　family　tomb　of　Mora　exhibited　in　relief　four　allegorical　figures；　imploring；　meditative；　thoughtful；　whose　attitudes　were　made　more　imposing　by　the　dying　light。　Of　the　speeches；　of　the　official　condolences；　nothing　remained。　The　soil　trodden　down　all　around；　masons　at　work　washing　the　dirt　from　the　plaster　threshold；　were　all　that　was　left　to　recall　the　recent　burial。
  Suddenly　the　door　of　the　ducal　tomb　shut　with　a　clash　of　all　its　metallic　weight。　Thenceforth　the　late　Minister　of　State　was　to　remain　alone；　utterly　alone；　in　the　shadow　of　its　night；　deeper　than　that　which　then　was　creeping　up　from　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　invading　the　winding　paths；　the　stone　stairways；　the　bases　of　the　columns；　pyramids　and　tombs　of　every　kind；　whose　summits　were　reached　more　slowly　by　the　shroud。　Navvies；　all　white　with　that　chalky　whiteness　of　dried　bones；　were　passing　by；　carrying　their　tools　and　wallets。　Furtive　mourners；　dragging　themselves　away　regretfully　from　tears　and　prayer；　glided　along　the　margins　of　the　clumps　of　trees；　seeming　to　skirt　them　as　with　the　silent　flight　of　night…birds；　while　from　the　extremities　of　Pere　Lachaise　voices　rosemelancholy　calls　announcing　the　closing　time。　The　day　of　the　cemetery　was　at　its　end。　The　city　of　the　dead；　handed　over　once　more　to　Nature；　was　becoming　an　immense　wood　with　open　spaces　marked　by　crosses。　Down　in　a　valley；　the　window…panes　of　a　custodian's　house　were　lighted　up。　A　shudder　seemed　to　run　through　the　air；　losing　itself　in　murmurings　along　the　dim　paths。
  〃Let　us　go；〃　the　two　old　comrades　said　to　each　other；　gradually　coming　to　feel　the　impression　of　that　twilight；　which　seemed　colder　than　elsewhere；　but　before　moving　off；　Hemerlingue；　pursuing　his　train　of　thought；　pointed　to　the　monument　winged　at　the　four　corners　by　the　draperies　and　the　outstretched　hands　of　its　sculptured　figures。
  〃Look　here；〃　said　he。　〃That　was　the　man　who　understood　the　art　of　keeping　up　appearances。〃
  Jansoulet　took　his　arm　to　aid　him　in　the　descent。
  〃Ah；　yes；　he　was　clever。　But　you　are　the　most　clever　of　all；〃　he　answered　with　his　terrible　Gascon　intonation。
  Hemerlingue　made　no　protest。
  〃It　is　to　my　wife　that　I　owe　it。　So　I　strongly　recommend　you　to　make　your　peace　with　her；　because　unless　you　do〃
  〃Oh；　don't　be　afraid。　We　shall　come　on　Saturday。　But　you　will　take　me　to　see　Le　Merquier。〃
  And　while　the　two　silhouettes；　the　one　tall　and　square；　the　other　massive　and　short；　were　passing　out　of　sight　among　the　twinings　of　the　great　labyrinth；　while　the　voice　of　Jansoulet　guiding　his　friend；　〃This　way；　old　fellowlean　hard　on　my　arm；〃　died　away　by　insensible　degrees；　a　stray　beam　of　the　setting　sun　fell　upon　and　illuminated　behind　them　in　the　little　plateau；　an　expressive　and　colossal　bust；　with　great　brow　beneath　long　swept…back　hair；　and　powerful　and　ironic　lipthe　bust　of　Balzac　watching　them。
  LA　BARONNE　HEMERLINGUE
  Just　at　the　end　of　the　long　vault；　under　which　were　the　offices　of　Hemerlingue　and　Sons；　the　black　tunnel　which　Joyeuse　had　for　ten　years　adorned　and　illuminated　with　his　dreams；　a　monumental　staircase　with　a　wrought…iron　balustrade；　a　staircase　of　mediaeval　time；　led　towards　the　left　to　the　reception　rooms　of　the　baroness；　which　looked　out　on　the　court…yard　just　above　the　cashier's　office；　so　that　in　summer；　when　the　windows　were　open；　the　ring　of　the　gold；　the　crash　of　the　piles　of　money　scattered　on　the　counters；　softened　a　little　by　the　rich　and　lofty　hangings　at　the　windows；　made　a　mercantile　accompaniment　to　the　buzzing　conversation　of　fashionable　Catholicism。
  The　entrance　struck　at　once　the　note　of　this　house；　as　of　her　who　did　the　honours　of　it。　A　mixture　of　a　vague　scent　of　the　sacristy；　with　the　excitement　of　the　Bourse；　and　the　most　refined　fashion；　these　heterogeneous　elements；　met　and　crossed　each　other's　path　there；　but　remained　as　much　apart　as　the　noble　faubourg；　under　whose　patronage　the　striking　conversion　of　the　Moslem　had　taken　place；　was　from　the　financial　quarters　where　Hemerlingue　had　his　life　and　his　friends。　The　Levantine　colonypretty　numerous　in　Pariswas　composed　in　great　measure　of　German　Jews；　bankers　or　brokers　who　had　made　colossal　fortunes　in　the　East；　and　still　did　business　here；　not　to　lose　the　habit。　The　colony　showed　itself　regularly　on　the　baroness's　visiting　day。　Tunisians　on　a　visit　to　Paris　never　failed　to　call　on　the　wife　of　the　great　banker；　and　old　Colonel　Brahim；　/charge　d'affaires/　of　the　Bey；　with　his　flabby　mouth　and　bloodshot　eyes；　had　his　nap　every　Saturday　in　the　corner　of　the　same　divan。
  〃One　seems　to　smell　scorching　in　your　drawing…room；　my　child；〃　said　the　old　Princess　de　Dions　smilingly　to　the　newly　named　Marie；　whom　M。　Le　Merquier　and　she　had　led　to　the　font。　But　the　presence　of　all　these　hereticsJews；　Moslems；　and　even　renegadesof　these　great　over…　dressed　blotched　women；　loaded　with　gold　and　ornaments；　veritable　bundles　of　clothes；　did　not　hinder　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　from　visiting；　surrounding；　and　looking　after　the　young　convert；　the　plaything　of　these　noble　ladies；　a　very　obedient　puppet；　whom　they　showed；　whom　they　took　out；　and　whose　evangelical　simplicities；　so　piquant　by　contrast　with　her　past；　they　quoted　everywhere。　Perhaps　deep　down　in　the　heart　of　her　amiable　patronesses　a　hope　lay　of　meeting　in　this　circle　of　returned　Orientals　some　new　subject　for　conversion；　an　occasion　for　filling　the　aristocratic　Chapel　of　Missions　again　with　the　touching　spectacle　of　one　of　those　adult　baptisms　which　carry　one　back　to　the　first　days　of　the　Faith；　far　away　on　the　banks　of　the　Jordan；　baptisms　soon　to　be　followed　by　a　first　communion；　a　confirmation；　when　baptismal　vows　are　renewed；　occasions　when　a　godmother　may　accompany　her　godchild；　guide　the　young　soul；　share　in　the　naive　transports　of　a　newly　awakened　belief；　and　may　also　display　a　choice　of　toilettes；　delicately　graduated　to　the　importance　of　the　sentiment　of　the　ceremony。　But　not　every　day　does　it　happen　that　one　of　the　leaders　of　finance　brings　to　Paris　an　Armenian　slave　as　his　wife。
  A　slave！　That　was　the　blot　in　the　past　of　this　woman　from　the　East；　bought　in　the　bazaar　of　Adrianople　for　the　Emperor　of　Morocco；　then　sold；　when　he　died　and　his　harem　was　dispersed；　to　the　young　Bey　Ahmed。　Hemerlingue　had　married　her　when　she　passed　from　this　new　seraglio；　but　she　could　not　be　received　at　Tunis；　where　no　woman　Moor；　Turk　or　Europeanwould　consent　to　treat　a　former　slave　as　an　equal；　on　account　of　a　prejudice　like　that　which　separates　the　creoles　from　the　best　disguised　quadroons。　Even　in　Paris　the　Hemerlingues　found　this　invincible　prejudice　among　the　small　foreign　colonies；　constituted；　as　they　were；　of　little　circles　full　of　susceptibilities　and　local　traditions。　Yamina　thus　passed　two　or　three　years　in　a　complete　solitude　whose　leisure　and　spiteful　feelings　she　well　knew　how　to　utilize；　for　she　was　an　ambitious　woman　endowed　with　extraordinary　will　and　persistence。　She　learned　French　thoroughly；　said　farewell　to　her　embroidered　vests　and　pantaloons　of　red　silk；　accustomed　her　figure　and　her　walk　to　European　toilettes；　to　the　inconvenience　of　long　dresses；　and　then；　one　night　at　the　opera；　showed　the　astonished　Parisians　the　spectacle；　a　little　uncivilized　still；　but　delicate；　elegant；　and　original；　of　a　Mohammedan　in　a　costume　of　/Leonard's/。
  The　sacrifice　of　her　religion　soon　followed　that　of　her　costume。　Mme。　Hemerlingue　had　long　abandoned　the　practices　of　Mohammedan　religion；　when　M。　le　Merquier；　the