Meyerbeer, who had not yet discovered his man, though he had a pretty
scandal well-nigh brewed.

Count Ploare was no more, Gaston Belward was. Zoug-Zoug was in the
country at Fontainebleau, working at his picture. He had left on the
morning after Gaston discovered Andree. He had written, asking his
nephew to come for some final sittings. Possibly, he said, Mademoiselle
Cerise and others would be down for a Sunday. Gaston had not gone, had
briefly declined. His uncle shrugged his shoulders, and went on with
other work. It would end in his having to go to Paris and finish the
picture there, he said. Perhaps the youth was getting into mischief?
So much the better. He took no newspapers.--What did an artist need of
them? He did not even read the notices sent by a press-cutting agency.
He had a model with him. She amused him for the time, but it was
unsatisfactory working on "The King of Ys" from photographs. He loathed
it, and gave it up.

One evening Gaston and Andree met at the Gare Montparnasse. Jacques
was gone on, but Annette was there. Meyerbeer was there also, at a safe
distance. He saw Gaston purchase tickets, arrange his baggage, and enter
the train. He passed the compartment, looking in. Besides the three,
there was a priest and a young soldier.

Gaston saw him, and guessed what brought him there. He had an impulse to
get out and shake him as would Andree's cub a puppy. But the train moved
off. Meyerbeer found Gaston's porter. A franc did the business.

"Douarnenez, for Audierne, Brittany," was the legend written in
Meyerbeer's note-book. And after that: "Journey twenty hours--change at
Rennes, Redon, and Quimpere."