equisition at that moment was not contained in any of her numerous
rouge-pots. So she cast down her eyes, thereby displaying to advantage
the length and thickness of her jet-black lashes, and raised her hand
with a deprecating gesture, which called attention to its pretty, taper
fingers and rosy nails. The marquis watched he admiringly, and she
certainly was very charming in her way. He did not vouchsafe even a
glance to the other two young actresses--refraining from testifying any
marked admiration for Isabelle because of the prior claim of the Baron
de Sigognac--though he was secretly very much delighted with her
sweet, refined style of beauty, and the quiet dignity and grace of her
deportment. Serafina, who was naturally indignant that the marquis had
not even asked if there was a part for her in the piece to be performed,
accused him in her heart of being no gentleman, and of having very
low, vulgar tastes, but she was the only one of the party that felt any
dissatisfaction.

Before the marquis left them he said to Herode, "I have given orders
to have the orangery cleared so that our theatre can be arranged there;
they are carrying planks, trestles, benches, hangings, and all other
needful articles in there now. Will you kindly superintend the workmen,
who are new to this sort of business? They will obey your orders as they
would my own."

Accordingly the tyrant, Blazius and Scapin repaired to the orangery,
which was at a little distance from the chateau and admirably calculated
for the purpose it was now to serve, and where they found everything
necessary to convert it into a temporary theatre.

Whilst this work is going forward we will make our amiable, indulgent
readers acquainted with the fair mistress of the chateau--having
heretofore forgotten to mention that the Marquis de Bruyeres was a
married man; he thought of it so seldom himself that we may surely be
pardoned for this omission. As can be readily imagined, from our last
remark, love had not been the moving cause in this union. Adjoining
estates, which, united in one, formed a noble domain, and equality of
rank had been the chief considerations. After a very brief honeymoon,
during which they had become painfully aware of a total want of
congeniality, the marquis and marquise--like well-bred people, making
no outcry about their matrimonial failure--had tacitly agreed to live
amicably under the same roof, but entirely independent of each other--he
to go