girl with a
puzzled air, she added: "It is Torquato Tasso! Tell Monsieur de Canalis
to re-read it," she added smiling; "I particularly desire that you
will repeat to your friend word for word what I say; for it is not an
epigram, it is the justification of his conduct,--with this trifling
difference, that he will, I trust, become more and more reasonable,
thanks to the folly of his Eleonore."

The duchess's head-woman conducted Modeste and her father to their
apartment, where Francoise Cochet had already put everything in order,
and the choice elegance of which astounded the colonel, more especially
after he heard from Francoise that there were thirty other apartments in
the chateau decorated with the same taste.

"This is what I call a proper country-house," said Modeste.

"The Comte de La Bastie must build you one like it," replied her father.

"Here, monsieur," said Modeste, giving the bit of paper to Ernest;
"carry it to our friend and put him out of his misery."

The word _our_ friend struck the young man's heart. He looked at Modeste
to see if there was anything real in the community of interests which
she seemed to admit, and she, understanding perfectly what his look
meant, added, "Come, go at once, your friend is waiting."

La Briere colored excessively, and left the room in a state of doubt and
anxiety less endurable than despair. The path that approaches happiness
is, to the true lover, like the narrow way which Catholic poetry has
called the entrance to Paradise,--expressing thus a dark and gloomy
passage, echoing with the last cries of earthly anguish.

An hour later this illustrious company were all assembled in the
salon; some were playing whist, others conversing; the women had their
embroideries in hand, and all were waiting the announcement of dinner.
The Prince de Cadignan was drawing Monsieur Mignon out upon China,
and his campaigns under the empire, and making him talk about the
Portendueres, the L'Estorades, and the Maucombes, Provencal families; he
blamed him for not seeking service, and assured him that nothing would
be easier than to restore him to his rank as colonel of the Guard.

"A man of your birth and your fortune ought not to belong to the present
Opposition," said the prince, smiling.

This society of distinguished persons not only pleased Modeste, but it
enabled her to acquire, during her stay, a perfection of manners which
without this revelation she would have lacked all her