At the dessert the women themselves made some delicate and discreet allusions．Their eyes glistened；they had drunk much．The Count，who preserved，even in his flights，his grand appearance of gravity，made a comparison，much relished，upon the subject of those wintering at the pole，and the joy of ship－wrecked sailors who saw an opening toward the south．

Loiseau suddenly arose，a glass of champagne in his hand，and said：“I drink to our deliverance．”Everybody was on his feet；they shouted in agreement．Even the two good sisters consented to touch their lips to the froth of the wine which they had never before tasted．They declared that it tasted like charged lemonade， only much nicer．

Loiseau resumed：“It is unfortunate that we have no piano，for we might make up a quadrille．”

Cornudet had not said a word，nor made a gesture；he appeared plunged in very grave thoughts，and made sometimes a furious motion，so that his great beard seemed to wish to free itself．Finally，toward midnight，as they were separating，Loiseau，who was staggering，touched him suddenly on the stomach and said to him in a stammer：“You are not very funny，this evening；you have said nothing，citizen！”Then Cornudet raised his head brusquely and，casting a brilliant，terrible glance around the company， said：“ I tell you all that you have been guilty of infamy！”He rose，went to the door，and again repeated：“Infamy，I say！”and disappeared．

This made a coldness at first．Loiseau，interlocutor，was stupefied；but he recovered immediately and laughed heartily as he said：“He is very green，my friends．He is very green．”And then，as they did not comprehend，he told them about the“mysteries of the corridor．”Then there was a return of gaiety．The women behaved like lunatics．The Count and Mr．Carré-Lamadon wept from the force of their laughter．They could not believe it．

“How is that？Are you sure？”

“I tell you I saw it．”

“And she refused—”

“Yes，because the Prussian officer was in the next room．”

“Impossible！”

“I swear it！”

The Count was stifled with laughter．The industrial gentleman held his sides with both hands．Loiseau continued：

“And now you understand why he saw nothing funny this evening！No，nothing at all！”And the three started out half ill，suffocated．

They separated．But Mrs．Lois............