bold eyes on Isabelle's
face, took off his hat, in a gallant and respectful way, so that its
long plume swept the ground, and wafted a kiss on the tips of his
fingers towards the new object of his ardent admiration. The young
actress, who saw this demonstration with much annoyance, assumed a cold,
composed manner, as if to show this insolent fellow that he had made a
mistake, drew back from the window, closed it, and let fall the curtain;
all done calmly and deliberately, and with the frigid dignity with which
she was wont to rebuke such overtures.

"There," exclaimed Pylades, "your Aurora is hidden behind a cloud; not
very promising, that, for the rest of the day."

"I don't agree with you; I regard it, on the contrary, as a favourable
augury that my little beauty has retired. Don't you know that when the
soldier hides himself behind the battlements of the tower, it signifies
that the besieger's arrow has hit him? I tell you she has mine now,
sticking in under her left wing; that kiss will force her to think of
me all night, if only to be vexed with me, and tax me with effrontery--a
fault which is never displeasing to ladies, I find, though they do
sometimes make a great outcry about it, for the sake of appearances.
There is something between me and the fair unknown now; a very slight,
almost imperceptible thread it may seem at present, but I will so manage
as to make from it a rope, by which I shall climb up into her window."

"I must admit," rejoined Pylades respectfully, "that you certainly are
wonderfully well versed in all the stratagems and ruses of love-making."

"I rather pique myself upon my accomplishments in that line, I will
confess," Orestes said, laughingly; "but come, let's go in now; the
little beauty was startled, and will not show herself at the window
again just yet. This evening I shall begin operations in earnest." And
the two friends turned about and strolled slowly back towards the house,
which they presently entered, and disappeared from sight.

There was a large tennis-court not far from the hotel, which was
wonderfully well suited to make a theatre of; so our comedians hired
it, took immediate possession, set carpenters and painters to work,
furbished up their own rather dilapidated scenery and decorations, and
soon had a charming little theatre, in which all the numbered seats
and boxes were eagerly snapped up, directly they were offered to
"the nobility and gentry of Poitiers," who secur