Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/294

utes’ time, she had wholly recovered consciousness, Francine explained the motive that had brought her into the artist’s room, and made many excuses for what had happened.

“Now, then, I am recovered,” said she, “I can go in to my own room.”

He had already opened the door, when she perceived that she was not only forgetting to light her candle, but that she had not the key of her room.

“Silly thing that I am,” said she, putting her candle to the flame of the resin taper, “I came in here to get a light, and I am going away without one.”

But at the same moment the draught caused by the door and window, both of which had remained open, suddenly blew out the taper, and the two young folks were left in darknesss.

“One would think that it was done on purpose,” said Francine. “Forgive me, sir, for all the trouble I am giving you, and be good enough to strike a light so that I may find my key.”

“Certainly, mademoiselle,” answered Jacques, feeling for the matches.

He had soon found them. But a singular idea flashed across his mind, and he put the matches in his pocket, saying, “Dear me, mademoiselle, here is another trouble. I have not a single match here, I used the last when I came in.”

“Oh!” said Fracine, “after all I can very well find my way without a light, my room is not big enough for me to lose myself in it. But I must have my key. Will you be good enough, sir, to help me to look for it? it must have fallen to the ground.”

“Let us look for it, mademoiselle,” said Jacques.

And both of them began to seek the lost article in the