〃Mademoiselle；　what　service　have　I　rendered　you　that　deserves　a　return？〃　said　Madame　du　Gua；　biting　her　lips　in　a　sort　of　rage。
  〃Did　you　not　enlighten　me　as　to　the　true　character　of　the　Marquis　de　Montauran；　madame？　With　what　utter　indifference　that　man　allowed　me　to　go　to　my　death！　I　give　him　up　to　you　willingly！〃
  〃Then　why　are　you　here？〃　asked　Madame　du　Gua；　eagerly。
  〃To　recover　the　respect　and　consideration　you　took　from　me　at　La　Vivetiere；　madame。　As　for　all　the　rest；　make　yourself　easy。　Even　if　the　marquis　returned　to　me；　you　know　very　well　that　a　return　is　never　love。〃
  Madame　du　Gua　took　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　hand　with　that　affectionate　touch　and　motion　which　women　practise　to　each　other；　especially　in　the　presence　of　men。
  〃Well；　my　poor　dear　child；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　glad　to　find　you　so　reasonable。　If　the　service　I　did　you　was　rather　harsh；〃　she　added；　pressing　the　hand　she　held；　and　feeling　a　desire　to　rend　it　as　her　fingers　felt　its　softness　and　delicacy；　〃it　shall　at　least　be　thorough。　Listen　to　me；　I　know　the　character　of　the　Gars；　he　meant　to　deceive　you；　he　neither　can　nor　will　marry　any　woman　except〃
  〃Ah！〃
  〃Yes；　mademoiselle；　he　has　accepted　his　dangerous　mission　to　win　the　hand　of　Mademoiselle　d'Uxelles；　a　marriage　to　which　his　Majesty　has　promised　his　countenance。〃
  〃Ah！　ah！〃
  Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　added　not　a　word　to　that　scornful　ejaculation。　The　young　and　handsome　Chevalier　du　Vissard；　eager　to　be　forgiven　for　the　joke　which　had　led　to　the　insults　at　La　Vivetiere；　now　came　up　to　her　and　respectfully　invited　her　to　dance。　She　placed　her　hand　in　his；　and　they　took　their　places　in　a　quadrille　opposite　to　Madame　du　Gua。　The　gowns　of　the　royalist　women；　which　recalled　the　fashions　of　the　exiled　court；　and　their　creped　and　powdered　hair　seemed　absurd　as　soon　as　they　were　contrasted　with　the　attire　which　republican　fashions　authorized　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　to　wear。　This　attire；　which　was　elegant；　rich；　and　yet　severe；　was　loudly　condemned　but　inwardly　envied　by　all　the　women　present。　The　men　could　not　restrain　their　admiration　for　the　beauty　of　her　natural　hair　and　the　adjustment　of　a　dress　the　charm　of　which　was　in　the　proportions　of　the　form　which　it　revealed。
  At　that　moment　the　marquis　and　the　count　re…entered　the　ballroom　behind　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　who　did　not　turn　her　head。　If　a　mirror　had　not　been　there　to　inform　her　of　Montauran's　presence；　she　would　have　known　it　from　Madame　du　Gua's　face；　which　scarcely　concealed；　under　an　apparently　indifferent　air；　the　impatience　with　which　she　awaited　the　conflict　which　must；　sooner　or　later；　take　place　between　the　lovers。　Though　the　marquis　talked　with　the　count　and　other　persons；　he　heard　the　remarks　of　all　the　dancers　who　from　time　to　time　in　the　mazes　of　the　quadrille　took　the　place　of　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　and　her　partner。
  〃Positively；　madame；　she　came　alone；〃　said　one。
  〃She　must　be　a　bold　woman；〃　replied　the　lady。
  〃If　I　were　dressed　like　that　I　should　feel　myself　naked；〃　said　another　woman。
  〃Oh；　the　gown　is　not　decent；　certainly；〃　replied　her　partner；　〃but　it　is　so　becoming；　and　she　is　so　handsome。〃
  〃I　am　ashamed　to　look　at　such　perfect　dancing；　for　her　sake；　isn't　it　exactly　that　of　an　opera　girl？〃　said　the　envious　woman。
  〃Do　you　suppose　that　she　has　come　here　to　intrigue　for　the　First　Consul？〃　said　another。
  〃A　joke　if　she　has；〃　replied　the　partner。
  〃Well；　she　can't　offer　innocence　as　a　dowry；〃　said　the　lady；　laughing。
  The　Gars　turned　abruptly　to　see　the　lady　who　uttered　this　sarcasm；　and　Madame　du　Gua　looked　at　him　as　if　to　say；　〃You　see　what　people　think　of　her。〃
  〃Madame；〃　said　the　count；　laughing；　〃so　far；　it　is　only　women　who　have　taken　her　innocence　away　from　her。〃
  The　marquis　privately　forgave　the　count。　When　he　ventured　to　look　at　his　mistress；　whose　beauty　was；　like　that　of　most　women；　brought　into　relief　by　the　light　of　the　wax　candles；　she　turned　her　back　upon　him　as　she　resumed　her　place；　and　went　on　talking　to　her　partner　in　a　way　to　let　the　marquis　hear　the　sweetest　and　most　caressing　tones　of　her　voice。
  〃The　First　Consul　sends　dangerous　ambassadors；〃　her　partner　was　saying。
  〃Monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃you　all　said　that　at　La　Vivetiere。〃
  〃You　have　the　memory　of　a　king；〃　replied　he；　disconcerted　at　his　own　awkwardness。
  〃To　forgive　injuries　one　must　needs　remember　them；〃　she　said　quickly；　relieving　his　embarrassment　with　a　smile。
  〃Are　we　all　included　in　that　amnesty？〃　said　the　marquis；　approaching　her。
  But　she　darted　away　in　the　dance；　with　the　gaiety　of　a　child；　leaving　him　without　an　answer。　He　watched　her　coldly　and　sadly；　she　saw　it；　and　bent　her　head　with　one　of　those　coquettish　motions　which　the　graceful　lines　of　her　throat　enabled　her　to　make；　omitting　no　movement　or　attitude　which　could　prove　to　him　the　perfection　of　her　figure。　She　attracted　him　like　hope；　and　eluded　him　like　a　memory。　To　see　her　thus　was　to　desire　to　possess　her　at　any　cost。　She　knew　that；　and　the　sense　it　gave　her　of　her　own　beauty　shed　upon　her　whole　person　an　inexpressible　charm。　The　marquis　felt　the　storm　of　love；　of　rage；　of　madness；　rising　in　his　heart；　he　wrung　the　count's　hand　violently；　and　left　the　room。
  〃Is　he　gone？〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　returning　to　her　place。
  The　count　gave　her　a　glance　and　passed　into　the　next　room；　from　which　he　presently　returned　accompanied　by　the　Gars。
  〃He　is　mine！〃　she　thought；　observing　his　face　in　the　mirror。
  She　received　the　young　leader　with　a　displeased　air　and　said　nothing；　but　she　smiled　as　she　turned　away　from　him；　he　was　so　superior　to　all　about　him　that　she　was　proud　of　being　able　to　rule　him；　and　obeying　an　instinct　which　sways　all　women　more　or　less；　she　resolved　to　let　him　know　the　value　of　a　few　gracious　words　by　making　him　pay　dear　for　them。　As　soon　as　the　quadrille　was　over；　all　the　gentlemen　who　had　been　at　La　Vivetiere　surrounded　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　wishing　by　their　flattering　attentions　to　obtain　her　pardon　for　the　mistake　they　had　made；　but　he　whom　she　longed　to　see　at　her　feet　did　not　approach　the　circle　over　which　she　now　reigned　a　queen。
  〃He　thinks　I　still　love　him；〃　she　thought；　〃and　does　not　wish　to　be　confounded　with　mere　flatterers。〃
  She　refused　to　dance　again。　Then；　as　if　the　ball　were　given　for　her；　she　walked　about　on　the　arm　of　the　Comte　de　Bauvan；　to　whom　she　was　pleased　to　show　some　familiarity。　The　affair　at　La　Vivetiere　was　by　this　time　known　to　all　present；　thanks　to　Madame　du　Gua；　and　the　lovers　were　the　object　of　general　attention。　The　marquis　dared　not　again　address　his　mistress；　a　sense　of　the　wrong　he　had　done　her　and　the　violence　of　his　returning　passion　made　her　seem　to　him　actually　terrible。　On　her　side　Marie　watched　his　apparently　calm　face　while　she　seemed　to　be　observing　the　ball。
  〃It　is　fearfully　hot　here；〃　she　said　to　the　count。　〃Take　me　to　the　other　side　where　I　can　breathe；　I　am　stifling　here。〃
  And　she　motioned　towards　a　small　room　where　a　few　card…players　were　assembled。　The　marquis　followed　her。　He　ventured　to　hope　she　had　left　the　crowd　to　receive　him；　and　this　supposed　favor　roused　his　passion　to　extreme　violence；　for　his　love　had　only　increased　through　the　resistance　he　had　made　to　it　during　the　last　few　days。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　still　tormented　him；　her　eyes；　so　soft　and　velvety　for　the　count；　were　hard　and　stern　when；　as　if　by　accident；　they　met　his。　Montauran　at　last　made　a　painful　effort　and　said；　in　a　muffled　voice；　〃Will　you　never　forgive　me？〃
  〃Love　forgives　nothing；　or　it　forgives　all；〃　she　said；　coldly。　〃But；〃　she　added；　noticing　his　joyful　look；　〃it　must　be　love。〃
  She　took　the　count's　arm　once　more　and　moved　forward　into　a　small　boudoir　which　adjoined　the　cardroom。　The　marquis　followed　her。
  〃Will　you　not　hear　me？〃　he　said。
  〃One　would　really　think；　monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃that　I　had　come　here　to　meet　you；　and　not　to　vindicate　my　own　self…respect。　If　you　do　not　cease　this　odious　pursuit　I　shall　leave　the　ballroom。〃
  〃Ah！〃　he　cried；　recollecting　one　of　the　crazy　actions　of　the　last　Duc　de　Lorraine；　〃let　me　speak　to　you　so　long　as　I　can　hold　this　live　coal　in　my　hand。〃
  He　stooped　to　the　hearth　and　picking　up　a　brand　held　it　tightly。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　flushed；　took　her　arm　from　that　of　the　count；　and　looked　at　the　marquis　in　amazement。　The　count　softly　withdrew；　leaving　them　alone　together。　So　crazy　an　action　shook　Marie's　heart；　for　there　is　nothing　so　persuasive　in　love　as　courageous　folly。
  〃You　only　prove　to　me；〃　she　said；　trying　to　make　him　throw　away　the　brand；　〃that　you　are　willing　to　make　me　suffer　cruelly。　You　are　extreme　in　everything。　On　the　word　of　a　fool　and　the　slander　of　a　woman　you　suspected　that　one　who　had　just　saved　your　life　was　capable　of　betraying　you。〃
  〃Yes；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃I　have　been　very　cruel　to　you；　but　nevertheless；　forget　it；　I　shall　never　forget　it。　Hear　me。　I　have　been　shamefully　deceived；　but　so　many　circumstances　on　that　fatal　day　told　against　you〃
  〃And　those　circumstances　were　stronger　than　your　love？〃
  He　hesitated；　she　made　a　motion　of　contempt；　and　rose。
  〃Oh；　Marie。　I　shall　never　cease　to　believe　in　you　now。〃
  〃Then　throw　that　fire　away。　You　are　mad。　Open　your　hand；　I　insis