ate. But I have another string to my bow."
"What is it?"
"The force of my will."
"You have plenty of that! But suppose, by some impossible chance, your
ideal resists you even then?"
"Then I know what will remain for me to do."
"You will resort to the pistol?"
"Not for him, but for myself," she replied, in a tone so resolute as to
exclude any suggestion of bravado.
Zibeline's horse, which was a rapid trotter, now stopped before the
Hotel de Montgeron, arriving just in advance of the Duchess's carriage,
for which the Swiss was watching at the threshold of the open Porte
cochere. He drew himself up; the brougham entered the gate at a swift
pace, described a circle, and halted under the marquee at the main
entrance. The General sprang lightly to the ground.
"I thank you, Mademoiselle," bowing, hat in hand, to his charming
conductor.
"Call me Valentine, please," she responded, with her usual ease of
manner.
"Even in the character of a stage father, that would be rather too
familiar," said the Marquis.
"Not so much so as to call me Zibeline," said Mademoiselle de Vermont,
laughing.
"Ha! ha! You know your sobriquet, then?"
"I have known it a long time! Good-night, General! We shall meet again."
Then, addressing her footman, she said in English: "Home!"
CHAPTER XVI. FRATERNAL ADVICE
Like all residences where the owners receive much company, the Hotel de
Montgeron had a double porte-cochere. Just as the Swiss opened the
outer gate to allow the departure of Mademoiselle de Vermont, the two
carriages crossed each other on the threshold. In fact, Henri had had
hardly time to cross the courtyard to mount to his own apartments before
his brother-in-law and his sister stopped him at the foot of the steps.
He rejoined them to say good-night.
"Won't you come and take a cup of tea with us in the little salon?" they
asked.
"Willingly," was his response. He followed them, and all three seated
themselves beside a table which was already laid, and upon which the
boiling water sang in the kettle.
"Leave us," said the Duchess to the butler. "I will serve tea myself.
Did Mademoiselle de Vermont bring you home?" she asked, when the servant
had retired.
"Well," said Henri, "in proposing to do so she mentioned my discreet
age, which appeared to her to make the thing all right! If I had
declined her invitation, I should have seemed to pose as a compromising
person! That is the reason why I accep
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