?" said Adrienne. "Why, you have guessed a secret
surrounded by difficulties and mystery. In a word, you have known how to
read the depths of a woman's heart."

"I, my dear young lady?"

"You, sir! rejoice at it, for your penetration has had the most
fortunate results."

"And your veracity has worked wonders," added the count.

"It is pleasant to do good, even without knowing it," said Rodin, still
acting on the defensive, and throwing side glances by turns on the count
and Adrienne; "but will you inform me what it is that deserves this
praise--"

"Gratitude obliges me to inform you of it," said Adrienne, maliciously;
"you have discovered, and told Prince Djalma, that I was passionately in
love. Well! I admire your penetration; it was true."

"You have also discovered, and told this lady, that Prince Djalma
was passionately in love," resumed the count. "Well! I admire your
penetration, my dear sir; it was true."

Rodin looked confused, and at a loss for a reply.

"The person that I loved so passionately," said Adrienne, "was the
prince."

"The person that the prince loved so passionately," resumed the count,
"was this lady."

These revelations, so sudden and alarming, almost stunned Rodin; he
remained mute and terrified, thinking of the future.

"Do you understand now, sir, the extent of our gratitude towards
you?" resumed Adrienne, in a still more mocking tone. "Thanks to your
sagacity, thanks to the touching interest you take in us, the prince and
I are indebted to you for the knowledge of our mutual sentiments."

The Jesuit had now gradually recovered his presence of mind, and
his apparent calmness greatly irritated M. de Montbron, who, but for
Adrienne's presence, would have assumed another tone than jests.

"There is some mistake," said Rodin, "in what you have done me the honor
to tell me, my dear young lady. I have never in my life spoken of the
sentiments, however worthy and respectable, that you may entertain for
Prince Djalma--"

"That is true," replied Adrienne; "with scrupulous and exquisite
discretion, whenever you spoke to me of the deep love felt by Prince
Djalma, you carried your reserve and delicacy so far as to inform me
that it was not I whom he loved."

"And the same scruple induced you to tell the prince that Mdlle. de
Cardoville loved some one passionately--but that he was not the person,"
added the count.

"Sir," answered Rodin, dryly, "I need hardly tell you that I have no
d