d pale.

"Hallo!" thought the soldier, "she is in love with that lucky devil
Martial."

"I fancied that Madame de Vaudremont had long been devoted to M. de
Soulanges," said the lady, recovering a little from the suppressed grief
which had clouded the fairness of her face.

"For a week past the Countess has been faithless," replied the Colonel.
"But you must have seen poor Soulanges when he came in; he is till
trying to disbelieve in his disaster."

"Yes, I saw him," said the lady. Then she added, "Thank you very much,
monsieur," in a tone which signified a dismissal.

At this moment the quadrille was coming to an end. Montcornet had only
time to withdraw, saying to himself by way of consolation, "She is
married."

"Well, valiant Cuirassier," exclaimed the Baron, drawing the Colonel
aside into a window-bay to breathe the fresh air from the garden, "how
are you getting on?"

"She is a married woman, my dear fellow."

"What does that matter?"

"Oh, deuce take it! I am a decent sort of man," replied the Colonel. "I
have no idea of paying my addresses to a woman I cannot marry. Besides,
Martial, she expressly told me that she did not intend to dance."

"Colonel, I will bet a hundred napoleons to your gray horse that she
will dance with me this evening."

"Done!" said the Colonel, putting his hand in the coxcomb's. "Meanwhile
I am going to look for Soulanges; he perhaps knows the lady, as she
seems interested in him."

"You have lost, my good fellow," cried Martial, laughing. "My eyes
have met hers, and I know what they mean. My dear friend, you owe me no
grudge for dancing with her after she has refused you?"

"No, no. Those who laugh last, laugh longest. But I am an honest gambler
and a generous enemy, Martial, and I warn you, she is fond of diamonds."

With these words the friends parted; General Montcornet made his way
to the cardroom, where he saw the Comte de Soulanges sitting at a
_bouillotte_ table. Though there was no friendship between the two
soldiers, beyond the superficial comradeship arising from the perils
of war and the duties of the service, the Colonel of Cuirassiers was
painfully struck by seeing the Colonel of Artillery, whom he knew to
be a prudent man, playing at a game which might bring him to ruin. The
heaps of gold and notes piled on the fateful cards showed the frenzy of
play. A circle of silent men stood round the players at the table. Now
and then a few words were spoken--_pass, p