ly for her sake. This discovery gave
her such intoxicating pleasure that she was startled as she reflected on
it. There was something in it very painful to her pride. Accustomed as
she was to be the centre of her world, she was obliged to recognize a
force that attracted her outside herself; she tried to resist, but she
could not chase from her heart the fascinating image of the young man.

Then came some anxiety. Two of Monsieur Longueville's qualities,
very adverse to general curiosity, and especially to Mademoiselle de
Fontaine's, were unexpected modesty and discretion. He never spoke of
himself, of his pursuits, or of his family. The hints Emilie threw out
in conversation, and the traps she laid to extract from the young fellow
some facts concerning himself, he could evade with the adroitness of a
diplomatist concealing a secret. If she talked of painting, he responded
as a connoisseur; if she sat down to play, he showed without conceit
that he was a very good pianist; one evening he delighted all the
party by joining his delightful voice to Emilie's in one of Cimarosa's
charming duets. But when they tried to find out whether he were a
professional singer, he baffled them so pleasantly that he did not
afford these women, practised as they were in the art of reading
feelings, the least chance of discovering to what social sphere he
belonged. However boldly the old uncle cast the boarding-hooks over the
vessel, Longueville slipped away cleverly, so as to preserve the charm
of mystery; and it was easy to him to remain the "handsome Stranger"
at the Villa, because curiosity never overstepped the bounds of good
breeding.

Emilie, distracted by this reserve, hoped to get more out of the sister
than the brother, in the form of confidences. Aided by her uncle, who
was as skilful in such manoeuvres as in handling a ship, she endeavored
to bring upon the scene the hitherto unseen figure of Mademoiselle Clara
Longueville. The family party at the Villa Planat soon expressed the
greatest desire to make the acquaintance of so amiable a young lady, and
to give her some amusement. An informal dance was proposed and accepted.
The ladies did not despair of making a young girl of sixteen talk.

Notwithstanding the little clouds piled up by suspicion and created by
curiosity, a light of joy shone in Emilie's soul, for she found life
delicious when thus intimately connected with another than herself. She
began to understand the relati