ating his
future, the things of the heart had entered but slightly into his
life; unless we must except the comedy he had played on Flavie. We
can therefore imagine the perplexity of this novice in the matter of
adventures when he saw himself placed between the danger of losing what
seemed to be a delightful opportunity, and the fear of finding a serpent
amid the beautiful flowers that were offered to his grasp. Too marked
a reserve, too lukewarm an eagerness, might wound the self-love of that
beautiful foreigner, and quench the spring from which he seemed invited
to draw. On the other hand, suppose that appearance of interest were
only a snare? Suppose this kindness (ill-explained, as it seemed to
him), of which he was so suddenly the object, had no other purpose than
to entice him into a step which might be used to compromise him with
the Thuilliers? What a blow to his reputation for shrewdness, and what a
role to play!--that of the dog letting go the meat for the shadow!

We know that la Peyrade was trained in the school of Tartuffe, and the
frankness with which that great master declares to Elmire that without
receiving a few of the favors to which he aspired he could not trust in
her tender advances, seemed to the barrister a suitable method to apply
to the present case, adding, however, a trifle more softness to the
form.

"Madame la comtesse," he said, "you have turned me into a man who is
much to be pitied. I was cheerfully advancing to this marriage, and you
take all faith in it away from me. Suppose I break it off, what use can
I--with that great capacity you see in me--make of the liberty I thus
recover?"

"La Bruyere, if I am not mistaken, said that nothing freshens the blood
so much as to avoid committing a folly."

"That may be; but it is, you must admit, a negative benefit; and I am
of an age and in a position to desire more serious results. The interest
that you deign to show to me cannot, I think, stop short at the idea
of merely putting an end to my present prospects. I love Mademoiselle
Colleville with a love, it is true, which has nothing imperative about
it; but I certainly love her, her hand is promised to me, and before
renouncing it--"

"So," said the countess, hastily, "in a given case you would not be
averse to a rupture? And," she added, in a more decided tone, "there
would be some chance of making you see that in taking your first
opportunity you cut yourself off from a better future, i