The fifth floor was dim and silent, the door of M. Cartel's _appartement_ was closed; but Max, mounting the stairs two steps at a time, was not daunted by silence or lack of light. Max was once again a prey to impulse, and under the familiar tyranny, his blood burned--raced in his veins, sang in his cars.
Without an instant's pause, he knocked on M. Cartel's door, and when his knock was answered by Jacqueline--fair and cool-looking, oven in the great heat--words rushed from him as they had been wont to rush when life was a gay affair.
Jacqueline nodded quickly, comprehending a crisis.
"Ah, I thank God!" He caught both her hands; he gave a little laugh that ended in a sob; he passed into the _appartement_, drawing her with him.
"Oh, _la, la_!" she cried, hiding her emotion in flippancy, "you take my breath away."
Max laughed again. "You see I've lost my own!"
She gave a scornful, familiar toss of the head. "Do not be foolish! What has happened?"
"I have made a discovery, Jacqueline. Youth comes but once!"
"Indeed! You need not have left the rue Müller to learn that."
"It comes but once, and while it is with me I am going to look it in the face." His words tumbled forth, pell-mell, and as he spoke he pulled her forcibly into the living-room.
"Jacqueline, I am serious. I have been down in hell; I must see heaven, or my faith is lost."
Jacqueline stood very still, making no effort to loose the hot clasp of his hands, but all at once her gaze concentrated piercingly.
"I have! Oh, I may be weak, but listen! listen! In the old days when the world was religious and people observed Lent, there was always _Mi-Carême_, was there not? Well, I have fasted, and now I must feast."
They gazed at each other; the one aglow with anticipation, the other with curiosity.
"I have sent a telegram with these words: 'Meet me at midday on Tuesday in the Place de la Concorde.--MAXINE.'"
"And this is Friday," said Jacqueline. "In four days' time you will see him again!"
"And--when you meet?" Jacqueline's blue eyes were sharp as needle-points.
Max colored to the temples. "_Ma chérie,_ I have not even thought! All I know is that youth comes but once, and that youth is courage. I have been a coward--I am going to be brave."