se,
which opened upon a deserted street. It was drawn by a pair of beautiful
blood-horses, of a cream color, with black manes and tails. The
scutcheons on the harness were of silver, as were also the buttons of
the servants' livery, which was blue with white collars. On the blue
hammercloth, also laced with white, as well as on the panels of the
doors, were lozenge-shaped coats of arms, without crest or coronet, as
usually borne by unmarried daughters of noble families. Two women were
in this carriage--Mdlle. de Cardoville and Florine.

CHAPTER XLI. RISING.

To explain the arrival of Mdlle. de Cardoville at the garden-door of
the house occupied by Djalma, we must cast a retrospective glance at
previous events. On leaving Doctor Baleinier's, Mdlle. de Cardoville had
gone to take up her residence in the Rue d'Anjou. During the last few
months of her stay with her aunt, Adrienne had secretly caused this
handsome dwelling to be repaired and furnished, and its luxury
and elegance were now increased by all the wonders of the lodge of
Saint-Dizier House. The world found it very strange, that a lady of the
age and condition of Mdlle. de Cardoville should take the resolution of
living completely alone and free, and, in fact, of keeping house exactly
like a bachelor, a young widow, or an emancipated minor. The world
pretended not to know that Mdlle. de Cardoville possessed what is often
wanting in men, whether of age or twice of age--a firm character, a
lofty mind, a generous heart, strong and vigorous good sense.

Judging that she would require faithful assistance in the internal
management of her house, Adrienne had written to the bailiff of
Cardoville, and his wife, old family servants, to come immediately to
Paris: M. Dupont thus filled the office of steward, and Mme. Dupont
that of housekeeper. An old friend of Adrienne's father, the Count de
Montbron, an accomplished old man, once very much in fashion, and still
a connoisseur in all sorts of elegances, had advised Adrienne to act
like a princess, and take an equerry; recommended for this office a man
of good rearing and ripe age, who, himself an amateur in horses, had
been ruined in England, at Newmarket, the Derby, and Tattersall's, and
reduced, as sometimes happened to gentlemen in that country, to drive
the stage coaches, thus finding an honest method of earning his bread,
and at the same time gratifying his taste for horses. Such was M. de
Bonneville, M. de Mon