Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 1.djvu/229

Rh "A promise made to you, madam, I should keep; I believe that I have the strength and the courage."

"Well, then, Max, I accept it," she said, extending her hand to him.

"I won two hundred dollars," he continued; "do you wish it for your poor? Never would ill-gotten gains have been put to better use."

She hesitated a moment.

"Why not?" she said to herself; aloud: "Well, Max, you will remember the lesson. I enter you my debtor for two hundred dollars." "My aunt used to say that the best way to keep out of debt is always to pay cash."

As he spoke he drew out his purse to get the bills. In its half-open folds Madame de Piennes thought that she saw a picture of a woman. Max noticed that she was looking at it, coloured, and hastened to close the purse and present her the money.

"I would like very much to see that purse—if that were possible," she added with an arch smile.

Max was completely disconcerted: he stammered a few unintelligible words, and endeavoured to turn the attention of Madame de Piennes.

Her first thought had been that the purse