those mourning dresses, rehearsing the periods
at which she adopted such and such a one, while we were dancing a
quadrille. In short, the Marchioness de Fleury is an animated
fashion-plate!--a lay-figure dressed in gauze, silk, lace, ribbon,
feathers, flowers, that breathes, talks, dances, waltzes!--a
mantua-maker's, milliner's, hair-dresser's puppet, set in motion,--not a
woman."

"Has she really no heart, then?" questioned Bertha.

"I suppose that, anatomically speaking, a bundle of fibres, which she
courteously designates by that name, may rise and fall somewhere beneath
her jewel-studded bodice; but I doubt whether the pulsations are not
entirely regulated by her attire."

"You are too severe, Maurice," remarked his grandmother, rebukingly.
"The Marchioness de Fleury is a lady of the highest standing and of
great importance."

"Especially to the Parisian modistes who worship her!" replied Maurice.
"But, while we are discussing the lady herself, I am forgetting to tell
you her reasons for delaying me half an hour. It was to inquire whether
you would be disengaged to-morrow morning, as she purposes paying you a
visit to make a proposition which she thinks may prove agreeable to the
Countess de Gramont and Count Tristan."

"We are ever proud to receive the Marchioness de Fleury," responded the
countess, graciously.

"I dare say you think I have emptied my budget of news," Maurice went
on; "but you are mistaken: several bits of agreeable intelligence remain
behind. At the Chateau de Tremazan, I saw three of our relatives on the
de Gramont side, Madame de Nervac, the Count Damoreau, and M. de
Bonneville. They inquired kindly after you, Madeleine, and I told them
you were the most"--

The countess interrupted him with the inquiry, "Are they upon a visit of
several days?"

"I believe so. Now for the last, most pleasant item. As there are so
many lively young persons gathered together at the chateau, some one
proposed an impromptu ball. Madame de Tremazan seized upon the idea, and
commissioned me to carry invitations to the Countess dowager de Gramont,
Mademoiselles Madeleine and Bertha, and Count Tristan, for the evening
after to-morrow. I assured her in advance that the invitations would be
accepted;--was I not right?"

"Oh, yes," replied Bertha; "I am so glad!"

"We will enjoy a ball greatly!" exclaimed Madeleine.

"And so will I!" said Maurice. "I engage Madeleine for the first
quadrille, and Bertha for t