woman whom people think his mistress; that was a nice little
perfidy by which you meant to ruin him in my estimation."

Thus exposed to the light, my poor husband talked at random for a
time, and finally had no resource but to ring for Lucas and lecture him
severely. That ended the explanation.

What do you think of this conjugal proceeding, by which my husband,
wishing to do a man some harm in my estimation, gave him the opportunity
to appear to the utmost advantage? For--there was no mistaking it--the
sort of emotion with which Monsieur Dorlange repelled the charge was the
cry of a conscience at peace with itself, and which knows itself able to
confound a calumny.

XII. DORLANGE TO MARIE-GASTON

Paris, May, 1839.

On my return this evening from the Estorades, on whom I had paid my
parting call, I found your letter, my dear friend, in which you announce
your coming arrival. I shall await you to-morrow during the day, but
in the evening I must, without further delay, start for Arcis-sur-Aube,
where, in the course of the next week my political matters will come
to a head. What particular hold I may have on that town, which, as it
appears, I have the ambition to represent, and on what co-operation
and assistance I may rely,--in a word, _who_ is making my electoral
bed,--all that I know as little about as I did last year when I was told
for the first time that I must enter political life.

A few days ago I received a second letter from my father, postmarked
Paris this time, and not Stockholm. Judging by the style of the
document, it would not surprise me if the "eminent services" rendered
in a Northern court by the mysterious author of my days turned out to be
those of a Prussian corporal. It would be impossible to issue orders
in a more imperative tone, or to dwell more minutely on trifling
particulars.

The note or memorandum was headed thus: _What my son is to do_.

On receipt of these instructions I am to send to its destination the
Saint-Ursula; to superintend the packing and boxing of it myself, and to
despatch it by the fastest carrier, to Mother Marie-des-Anges, superior
of the convent of the Ursulines at Arcis-sur-Aube.

The order went on to say that I was to follow the statue in a few days,
so as to arrive at the said Arcis-sur-Aube not later than the 3rd of
May. Even the inn at which I was to put up was dictated. I would find
myself expected at the Hotel de la Poste; so that if I happen to prefe