as she
never told you, as she has often told me, that she condescended when she
married her late husband; and that her great object in life is to get
the title of her family (years since extinct in the male line) settled
on her son?"

"Yes," replied Trudaine; "I remember to have heard something of this,
and to have paid no great attention to it at the time, having little
sympathy with such aspirations as you describe. You have lived many
years in Danville's service, Monsieur Lomaque; have you"--he hesitated
for a moment, then continued, looking the land-steward full in the
face--"have you found him a good and kind master?"

Lomaque's thin lips seemed to close instinctively at the question, as if
he were never going to speak again. He bowed--Trudaine waited--he only
bowed again. Trudaine waited a third time. Lomaque looked at his host
with perfect steadiness for an instant, then his eyes began to get weak
again. "You seem to have some special interest," he quietly remarked,
"if I may say so without offense, in asking me that question."

"I deal frankly, at all hazards, with every one," returned Trudaine;
"and stranger as you are, I will deal frankly with you. I acknowledge
that I have an interest in asking that question--the dearest, the
tenderest of all interests." At those last words, his voice trembled
for a moment, but he went on firmly; "from the beginning of my sister's
engagement with Danville, I made it my duty not to conceal my own
feelings; my conscience and my affection for Rose counseled me to be
candid to the last, even though my candor should distress or offend
others. When we first made the acquaintance of Madame Danville, and
when I first discovered that her son's attentions to Rose were not
unfavorably received, I felt astonished, and, though it cost me a hard
effort, I did not conceal that astonishment from my sister--"

Lomaque, who had hitherto been all attention, started here, and threw
up his hands in amazement. "Astonished, did I hear you say? Astonished,
Monsieur Trudaine, that the attentions of a young gentleman, possessed
of all the graces and accomplishments of a highly-bred Frenchman, should
be favorably received by a young lady! Astonished that such a dancer,
such a singer, such a talker, such a notoriously fascinating ladies' man
as Monsieur Danville, should, by dint of respectful assiduity, succeed
in making some impression on the heart of Mademoiselle Rose! Oh,
Monsieur Trudaine, vener