bellino in the most evident
embarrassment.

As for Abellino, he remained standing before the mirror and looking just
like Lot's wife at the moment when she was turned into a pillar of salt.

But meantime John Karpathy, the good-humoured, merry, radiant Squire
John, pressed the hand of the master of the house as if he were an old
acquaintance, at the same time keeping his wife's little hand safely
tucked under his arm.

"Congratulate me, my worthy friend," said he. "I have won to-day a
treasure, a heavenly treasure. I am blessed indeed. I have no need of
any other paradise, for this world is now a paradise to me."

And laughing aloud, and with a beaming countenance, he mingled with the
company, presenting his wife to the most distinguished persons present,
who overwhelmed him with congratulations.

And Abellino was obliged to look on all the time!

To think that this girl, whom he had pursued so ostentatiously with his
love, should have become his uncle's wife, and consequently, henceforth
and for evermore, inaccessible to himself!

Why, if she had been carried up to the heights of heaven or down to the
depths of hell; if she had been fenced about in a rock-girt fortress, or
if wrathful archangels had guarded her with flaming swords, she would
not have been so completely shielded from him as by that talismanic
name--"Madame John Karpathy!"

It was impossible for him to have any relations whatever with Madame
John Karpathy!

Every eye that had sated itself with gazing on the beautiful young
bride, strayed back to him, and every look fixed upon him was full of
scorn and ridicule. The dandy, who was celebrating his uncle's wedding!
The outwitted suitor, whose adored one gave her hand--not to him, but to
his uncle!

It almost did Abellino good to see some one in the company who seemed to
be as hard hit as himself--namely, Monsieur Griffard, and true, even
now, to his malicious nature, he turned towards the banker and inquired
mockingly--

"Qu'en dites vous, M. Griffard?"

"C'est bien fatal!"

"Mon cher Abellino!" said Fennimore, who chanced to be standing by him,
and never had his thin drawling voice seemed so offensive, "it looks
very much as if you owed me a thousand ducats. Ha, ha, ha!"

Abellino turned furiously upon him, but at that instant his eyes met
those of Squire John, who had just then reached the place where he was
standing, with his wife under his arm, and introduced them to each other
with t