a purity of motive which his narrow mind was equally
incapable of experiencing. He finally attributed her conduct partly to a
dread of her aunt's and his own displeasure, partly to a desire to
render herself more highly valued by Maurice, and to gain a firmer hold
upon his affections.

M. de Bois was an early visitor on the day after the ball, but never had
he seemed more ill at ease, or found more difficulty in controlling his
restless nervousness, or in expressing himself intelligibly. When he
heard that Maurice was on his way to Paris, he dashed down an antique
vase by his sudden movement of vexation, and, in stooping to gather the
fractured china, upset the stand upon which it had stood. This
manifestation of awkwardness, of course, increased his _mal-aise_; and,
although the countess remained as unmoved as though she wholly ignored
the accident, he could not recover his equanimity. Madeleine left the
drawing-room with the fragments of the vase in her hand, and did not
return. After a prolonged and unsatisfactory visit, M. de Bois took his
leave.

As he issued from the chateau, Baptiste dropped his spade and followed
him, keeping at a short distance behind, until he neared the gate; then
the old gardener approached, looking cautiously around to see that he
was not observed, stealthily held out a note, whispering, "Mademoiselle
Madeleine bade me give this to monsieur," turned on his heel, and walked
away as rapidly as though he feared to be pursued.

The note contained these words:--

"A friend in my great emergency is indispensable to me. I
have no friend in whom I can confide but you. I shall be at
the little _chalet_ to-morrow morning, at five o'clock.

"MADELEINE M. DE GRAMONT."

A radiant change passed over the shadowed features of Gaston de Bois, as
he read these lines. That one so self-reliant as Madeleine proffered him
her confidence, trusted him, appealed to him for aid, was surely enough
to raise him in his own esteem; and he almost forgot the recent
mortification caused by an unfortunate awkwardness and miserable
diffidence, which seemed the haunting demons of his existence.

Impatience chased all slumber from his eyes that night, and the dawn had
scarcely broken when he hastened to the _chalet_ to await the coming of
Madeleine. The appointed time had just arrived, as the watch he
constantly consulted informed him, when she entered the summer-house.