t be the same; and
it remained to be proved which would be the successful lover.

He quitted the house enraged with himself for having been deceived;
indignant with Madeleine for her successful acting; furious with
Maurice, because he looked upon him as a rival; determined to seize an
early opportunity of quarrelling with him, and resolved to find some
pretext to gain admission to Mademoiselle Melanie's presence through the
aid of her obliging forewoman.

Let us return to Maurice, whom we left in Madeleine's boudoir. When the
door had closed upon Lord Linden, he said, in a wounded tone,--

"I thought only especial friends were admitted to this sanctum of yours.
I did not know, Madeleine, that you were acquainted with Lord Linden."

"He came to bring _Mademoiselle Melanie_ an important piece of
information; and one which concerns you, Maurice."

Maurice was exasperated, rather than soothed, by this intelligence, and
answered, hastily,--

"I am sorry for it. He belongs to a class of men whom I hold in supreme
contempt;--a _blase_ idler, whose chief occupation in life is to kill
time. Madeleine, forgive me! What a brute I am to speak so harshly when
I come to thank you! But the sight of that senseless _roue_ in your
boudoir, and apparently upon a familiar footing, has made an idiot of
me. I will not pay you so bad a compliment as to suggest that _he_ is
the mysterious lover whom you have refused to name. But why is he here
to-day? Why did I see him here yesterday? Why did he, yesterday, when he
caught sight of me, suddenly disappear, as though desirous of eluding
observation?"

"Maurice, if there be true affection between us," said Madeleine,
gently, and laying her delicate white hand upon his, "if there be true,
_cousinly_ affection between us, we should trust each other wholly, and
_in spite of appearances_. Though it is easy for me to explain _why_ I
admitted Lord Linden to a private interview, it may not always be
equally easy to give you explanations; and we may bring great future
sorrow upon each other if either give entertainment to a doubt."

"No, Madeleine, I can never doubt that all you do is well and wisely
done. Would that I had no cause to doubt your affection for me; no cause
to be distracted by jealousy when I see any other man allowed
privileges which I long to claim as mine alone! But how is it possible
to love you, and not to be hourly tormented by the position in which I
am placed? Since you hav