Rue de Balzac, crossed the street diagonally to the side where I was standing and, grazing the sidewalk, stopped in front of Juliette's house ! I held my breath. My whole body trembled, shaken by convulsions. Juliette came out first. I recognized her at once. She ran across the sidewalk and I heard her pull the handle of the door bell. Then a man came out ; it seemed to me that I knew the man also. He came to the lamp post, searched in his pocketbook and awkwardly took out a few silver pieces which he examined by the light with upraised arm. And his shadow upon the ground assumed an angular and monstrous form! I wanted to rush out of my place of hiding. Something heavy held me nailed to the ground. I wanted to shout. The cry was throttled in my throat. At the same time a chill rose from my heart to my brains. I had a feeling as though life were slowly leaving my body. I made a superhuman effort and with tottering steps I went toward the man. The door was opened and Juliette disappeared through it, saying:

" Well, are you coming? "

The man was still searching in his pocketbook.

It was Lirat ! Had the houses, the very sky crashed upon my head my astonishment would have been no greater! Lirat going home with Juliette. That could not be ! I had lost my senses ! I came still closer.

"Lirat!" I cried out, "Lirat! . . ."

He had paid the coachman and looked at me, terrified! Motionless, with gaping mouth, with outspread legs he was looking at me, without saying a word !

"Lirat! Is that you? It is not possible! It is not you, is it? You look like Lirat but you are not Lirat! "

Lirat was silent. . . .

" Come, Lirat ! You are not going to do that. . . or I shall say that you have sent me away to Ploch in order to steal Juliette from me! You here, with herl