splendor. They resided at Paris during the winter and spring, but
in July returned to their chateau at Campvallon, where they entertained
in great state until the autumn. The General invited Madame de Tecle
and her daughter, every year, to pass some weeks at Campvallon, rightly
judging that he could not give his young wife better companions. Madame
de Tecle accepted these invitations cheerfully, because it gave her an
opportunity of seeing the elite of the Parisian world, from whom the
whims of her uncle had always isolated her. For her own part, she did
not much enjoy it; but her daughter, by moving in the midst of such
fashion and elegance could thus efface some provincialisms of toilet or
of language; perfect her taste in the delicate and fleeting changes
of the prevailing modes, and acquire some additional graces. The young
Marquise, who reigned and scintillated like a bright star in these high
regions of social life, lent herself to the designs of her neighbor. She
seemed to take a kind of maternal interest in Mademoiselle de Tecle, and
frequently added her advice to her example. She assisted at her toilet
and gave the final touches with her own dainty hands; and the young
girl, in return, loved, admired, and confided in her.

Camors also enjoyed the hospitalities of the General once every season,
but was not his guest as often as he wished. He seldom remained at
Campvallon longer than a week. Since the return of the Marquise to
France he had resumed the relations of a kinsman and friend with her
husband and herself; but, while trying to adopt the most natural manner,
he treated them both with a certain reserve, which astonished the
General. It will not surprise the reader, who recollects the secret and
powerful reasons which justified this circumspection.

For Camors, in renouncing the greater part of the restraints which
control and bind men in their relations with one another, had
religiously intended to preserve one--the sentiment of honor. Many
times, in the course of this life, he had felt himself embarrassed to
limit and fix with certainty the boundaries of the only moral law he
wished to respect.

It is easy to know exactly what is in the Bible; it is not easy to know
exactly what the code of honor commands.

CHAPTER XII. CIRCE

But there exists, nevertheless, in this code one article, as to which M.
de Camors could not deceive himself, and it was that which forbade his
attempting to assail the