imaldi found prevailing in the evening, made him think, doubtless,
that we were getting on well, and he congratulated us. Veronique behaved
exactly as if the marquis had guessed the truth, and I felt sure of
having her after supper, and in the ecstasy of the thought I promised to
stay for four days longer.

"Bravo, Veronique!" said the marquis, "that's the way. You are intended
by nature to rule your lovers with an absolute sway."

I thought she would say something to diminish the marquis's certainty
that there was an agreement between us, but she did nothing of the sort,
seeming to enjoy her triumph which made her appear more beautiful than
ever; whilst I looked at her with the submissive gaze of a captive who
glories in, his chain. I took her behaviour as an omen of my approaching
conquest, and did not speak to M. de Grimaldi alone lest he might ask me
questions which I should not care to answer. He told us before he went
away that he was engaged on the morrow, and so could not come to see us
till the day after.

As soon as we were alone Veronique said to me, "You see how I let people
believe what they please; I had rather be thought kind, as you call it,
than ridiculous, as an honest girl is termed now-a-days. Is it not so?"

"No, dear Veronique, I will never call you ridiculous, but I shall think
you hate me if you make me pass another night in torture. You have
inflamed me."

"Oh, pray be quiet! For pity's sake leave me alone! I will not inflame
you any more. Oh! Oh!"

I had enraged her by thrusting a daring hand into the very door of the
sanctuary. She repulsed me and fled. Three or four minutes later her
sister came to undress me. I told her gently to go to bed as I had to
write for three or four hours; but not caring that she should come on a
bootless errand I opened a box and gave her a watch. She took it
modestly, saying,--

"This is for my sister, I suppose?"

"No, dear Annette, it's for you."

She gave a skip of delight, and I could not prevent her kissing my hand.

I proceeded to write Rosalie a letter of four pages. I felt worried and
displeased with myself and everyone else. I tore up my letter without
reading it over, and making an effort to calm myself I wrote her another
letter more subdued than the first, in which I said nothing of Veronique,
but informed my fair recluse that I was going on the day following.

I did not go to bed till very late, feeling out of temper with the world.
I con