st only be kind enough to wait, and allow me to watch for a
favorable moment when I can place these cards before madame."

With a low salutation, and a coquettish movement of the head that set
all her ribbons fluttering, the _femme de chambre_ made her exit.

"Not receive us? Make us wait?" exclaimed the countess, wrathfully;
"truly, Madame de Fleury has profited by her sojourn among savages! This
is not to be endured! Let us depart at once!"

"My dear mother," began Count Tristan, soothingly, "it will not do to be
offended, or to notice the slight, if there be one; but, I am sure, none
is intended. It is absolutely _indispensable_ that I should see the
countess, and get her to present this letter to the Marquis de Fleury,
and also that I should obtain her promise that she will influence him to
secure the vote of Mr. Gobert. Pray, be courteous to the marchioness
when she makes her appearance, or all is lost."

"What degradation will you demand of me next? How can you suppose it
possible that I can be courteous? I tell you I am furious!"

"But you do not know all that depends upon obtaining these votes. Think
of this railroad,--of the vital importance of the direction it takes!
Think of the Maryland property, which is almost all that is left to
us"--

"Have I not again and again begged you not to meddle with
railroads,--not to occupy yourself with business matters which a
nobleman is bound to ignore?"

"And by obeying you, as far as I could, and only acting in secret, I
have nearly ruined myself," answered the count, with growing excitement.

At this moment the loud ringing of a bell was heard, accompanied by the
voice of Lurline, speaking in tones of great tribulation.

"Patrick! Patrick! do you not hear the bell? Come here quickly! What's
to be done? Such a calamity! It's dreadful! dreadful!"

Count Tristan started up, and went to the door to question the _femme de
chambre_, fearing that the calamity in question might be of a nature
sufficiently serious to prevent the much-desired interview.

Lurline was standing in the hall; she wore her hat and shawl, and was
giving directions to a domestic in the most rapid and flurried manner.

"Will Madame de Fleury receive us?" inquired the count, anxiously.

"I told monsieur that I could not promise him, and, now that this
misfortune has befallen us, it is thoroughly impossible even to make
your presence here known to madame. Who could have anticipated such a
_cont