nette. Oh,
no, no! I know how loyal you are, worthy of all esteem and of every
confidence. I only beg you, I entreat you to look into the depths of
your heart and see whether the affection which, in spite of yourself,
you are beginning to have for my daughter, has not a characteristic a
little different from simple friendship."

Now he was offended, and, growing still more excited, he began once more
to plead his loyalty, just as he argued all alone in the street.

She waited until he had finished his defense; then, without anger, but
without being shaken in her conviction, though frightfully pale, she
murmured:

"Olivier, I know very well all that you have just said to me, and I
think as you do. But I am sure that I do not deceive myself. Listen,
reflect, understand. My daughter resembles me too much, she is too much
what I was once when you began to love me, that you should not begin to
love her, too."

"Then," he exclaimed, "you dare to throw in my face such a thing as that
on this simple supposition and ridiculous reasoning: 'He loves me; my
daughter resembles me; therefore he will love her'!"

But seeing the Countess's face changing more and more, he continued in a
softer tone:

"Now, my dear Any, it is precisely because I do find you once more in
her that this young girl pleases me so much. It is you, you alone, that
I love when I look at her."

"Yes, and it is just that from which I begin to suffer, and which makes
me so anxious. You are not yet aware of what you feel, but by and by you
will no longer be able to deceive yourself regarding it."

"Any, I assure you that you are mad."

"Do you wish proofs?"

"Yes."

"You had not come to Roncieres for three years, in spite of my desire to
have you come. But you rushed down there when it was proposed that you
should come to fetch us."

"Oh, indeed! You reproach me for not leaving you alone down there,
knowing that you were ill, after your mother's death!"

"So be it! I do not insist. But look: the desire to see Annette again is
so imperious with you that you could not pass this day without asking me
to take her to your studio, under the pretext of posing her."

"And do you not suppose it was you I wished to see?"

"At this moment you are arguing against yourself, trying to convince
yourself--but you do not deceive me. Listen again: Why did you leave
abruptly, the night before last, when the Marquis de Farandal entered?
Do you know why?"

He hesit