" Because you won't work and we'll starve. That's your nature ! Did you work at Ploch. Are you working now ? Why, you have never worked ! "

" How can I ? Don't you know that the thought of you never leaves me for a moment? It is the uncertainty of your life, it is the cruel anguish of everything I feel, of everything I suspect about you that gnaws at my heart, devours me, sucks my brains! When you are not here, I don't know where you are! And still I am always with you wherever you are! Ah ! if you only wished ! To know that you are near me, loving and tranquil, far from everything that besmirches, from everything that torments. Why, I could then have the strength of a God in me! Money! Money! Why, I'll make it for you by the shovelful, by the cartful ! Ah ! Juliette if you only wished. . . ."

She looked at me, excited by the great noise of gold which my words caused to ring in her ears.

" Well ! Make it right away, dearie. Yes, make a lot of it, piles of it! And don't think about those vile things which make you suffer ! Men are so funny ! They don't want to understand anything!"

Tenderly, she sat down on my lap.

" Why, I adore you, my dear little thing ! Why, I detest the others and I give them nothing of myself, do you hear, nothing. I am very unhappy ! "

With tear-filled eyes, she tried to nestle near me, repeating : " Yes very, very unhappy ! "

I was seized with fear and pity.

" Ah ! He thinks it is a pleasure ! " she cried sobbing, " he thinks so ! But if I did not have my Jean to console me, my Jean to lull me to sleep, my Jean to give me courage, I could not stand it any longer. I could not stand it any longer. ... I would rather die."

Suddenly, changing the subject, and with a voice in which I seeemd to hear a plaint of regret :