agerness that the young creature, abashed by a
triumph she seemed to disclaim, modestly looked down, blushed, and was
all the more charming. When she raised her white eyelids it was to look
at her ravished partner as though she wished to transfer the glory of
this admiration to him, and to say that she cared more for his than for
all the rest. She threw her innocence into her vanity; or rather she
seemed to give herself up to the guileless admiration which is the
beginning of love, with the good faith found only in youthful hearts. As
she danced, the lookers-on might easily believe that she displayed
her grace for Martial alone; and though she was modest, and new to the
trickery of the ballroom, she knew as well as the most accomplished
coquette how to raise her eyes to his at the right moment and drop their
lids with assumed modesty.

When the movement of a new figure, invented by a dancer named Trenis,
and named after him, brought Martial face to face with the Colonel--"I
have won your horse," said he, laughing.

"Yes, but you have lost eighty thousand francs a year!" retorted
Montcornet, glancing at Madame de Vaudremont.

"What do I care?" replied Martial. "Madame de Soulanges is worth
millions!"

At the end of the quadrille more than one whisper was poured into
more than one ear. The less pretty women made moral speeches to their
partners, commenting on the budding liaison between Martial and the
Comtesse de Soulanges. The handsomest wondered at her easy surrender.
The men could not understand such luck as the Baron's, not regarding him
as particularly fascinating. A few indulgent women said it was not
fair to judge the Countess too hastily; young wives would be in a very
hapless plight if an expressive look or a few graceful dancing steps
were enough to compromise a woman.

Martial alone knew the extent of his happiness. During the last figure,
when the ladies had to form the _moulinet_, his fingers clasped those of
the Countess, and he fancied that, through the thin perfumed kid of her
gloves, the young wife's grasp responded to his amorous appeal.

"Madame," said he, as the quadrille ended, "do not go back to the odious
corner where you have been burying your face and your dress until now.
Is admiration the only benefit you can obtain from the jewels that
adorn your white neck and beautifully dressed hair? Come and take a turn
through the rooms to enjoy the scene and yourself."

Madame de Soulanges yielde