rtance to you, but you may rely upon
it all the more because I fancy that you have now a claim upon it which
you had not a week ago: Be quite certain, I beg, that I will not abandon
you until your position is properly settled. I cannot at present tell you
more; but be sure that I will think of you."

"Ah, my friend! if you promise to think of me, I ask for no more. Oh!
unhappy creature that I am; there is not a soul in the world who thinks
of me."

She was: so deeply moved that she fainted away. I came to her assistance
without calling anyone, and when she had recovered her consciousness and
some calm, I told her a hundred stories, true or purely imaginary, of the
knavish tricks played in Paris by men who think of nothing but of
deceiving young girls. I told her a few amusing instances in order to
make her more cheerful, and at last I told her that she ought to be
thankful for what had happened to her with Narbonne, because that
misfortune would give her prudence for the future.

During that long tete-a-tete I had no difficulty in abstaining from
bestowing any caresses upon her; I did not even take her hand, for what I
felt for her was a tender pity; and I was very happy when at the end of
two hours I saw her calm and determined upon bearing misfortune like a
heroine.

She suddenly rose from her seat, and, looking at me with an air of modest
trustfulness, she said to me,

"Are, you particularly engaged in any way to-day?"

"No, my dear:"

"Well, then, be good enough to take me somewhere out of Paris; to some
place where I can breathe the fresh air freely; I shall then recover that
appearance which you think I must have to interest in my favour those who
will see me; and if I can enjoy a quiet sleep throughout the next night I
feel I shall be happy again."

"I am grateful to you for your confidence in me. We will go out as soon
as I am dressed. Your brother will return in the mean time."

"Oh, never mind my brother!"

"His presence is, on the contrary, of great importance. Recollect, my
dear Vesian, you must make Narbonne ashamed of his own conduct. You must
consider that if he should happen to hear that, on the very day he
abandoned you, you went into the country alone with me, he would triumph,
and would certainly say that he has only treated you as you deserved. But
if you go with your brother and me your countryman, you give no occasion
for slander."

"I blush not to have made that remark myself. We wil