m that day she never jested with me, nor even alluded to my choice of
a career. She, I fancied, even avoided being alone with me as she used
to be; the playful tricks she had indulged in of hiding my serious
books, or substituting for them others of a very different kind, were
all abandoned. Her whole manner and bearing were changed, nor could I
fail to see that there was no longer between us the cordial frankness
that hitherto united us. If this were, in one respect, a source of
sorrow to me, in another there was a strange, secret charm in that
reserve so full of meaning,--in that shyness so suggestive!

Up to that time I had been in the habit of reading with her some part
of every day. My school-learning, such as it was, was yet fresh in my
memory, and I was delighted to have a pupil so gifted and intelligent;
but from this time forth she never resumed her studies, but pretended a
variety of occupations as excuses. I know not, I cannot even speculate,
on how this might have ended, when a sudden change of events gave a
decisive turn to my destinies.

The batonnier who had so kindly undertaken to look after the little
remnant of Monsieur Bernois' fortune was no less prompt than he had
promised. He made all the arrangements required by law, and corresponded
with me on each step of the proceedings. In one of these letters was
a postscript containing these words: "Is it true that you have had a
serious rencontre with a captain of the Chasseurs-a-Cheval who is still
in danger from the wound he received?" Before my reply to this question
could have reached him, came the following brief note:--

"My dear Monsieur Carew,--I learned late last night the whole
circumstances of the adventure of which I had asked an explanation from
you by my letter of Tuesday. The affair is a most unhappy one on every
account, but on none more than the fact that your antagonist was Captain
Carrier, the brother of the celebrated member of the Constituent of
that name. I need scarcely remind you that his friends, numerous and
influential as they are, are now your bitterest enemies. They are at
this moment busily employed in making searches into your previous
life and habits; and should all other sources of accusation fail, will
inevitably make your nationality the ground of attack, and perhaps
denounce you as a spy of the English Government. The source from which
I obtained this information leaves no doubt of its correctness, as you
will acknowled