s I
have this morning ventured to solicit the hand of that young lady in
marriage, and have received a favorable answer to my suit, as well as
permission to request the approval of her relatives."

The countess sank into the nearest chair. She knew that her consent was
a mere form, and that Bertha could dispose of her hand in freedom.

Count Tristan, still speaking in a confused, incoherent manner,
exclaimed,--

"Bless my soul! How astonishing! The game's up, and Maurice has lost his
chance! Bertha's fortune is to go out of the family! It's very puzzling.
How did it all come about? De Bois, you sly fellow, you lucky dog, I
never suspected you. Managed matters quietly, eh? Should never have
thought you were the man to succeed with a pretty girl."

"Really," returned Gaston good-humoredly, "I am almost as astonished as
you are by Mademoiselle de Merrivale's preference. Let me hope that the
Countess de Gramont and yourself will render my happiness complete by
approving of Mademoiselle Bertha's choice."

"Of course, of course; there's nothing else to be done; we have lost our
trump card, but there's no use of confessing it! Very glad to welcome
you as a relative, sir; very happy indeed; everything shall be as
Mademoiselle de Merrivale desires."

Count Tristan uttered these disjointed sentences, in the flurried,
bewildered manner which had marked his conduct since Gaston entered. A
stranger might easily have imagined that the count was under the
influence of delirium; for his face was scarlet his eyes shone with
lurid brightness, his muscles twitched, his hands trembled nervously,
and he was, to all appearance, not thoroughly conscious of what he was
doing.

His mother's look of rebuke was entirely lost upon him, and he rattled
on with an air of assumed hilarity which was painfully absurd.

Gaston was disinclined to give the disdainful lady an opportunity of
expressing her opposition to his suit, and, pretending to interpret her
silence favorably, he took his hat, and said, "I thank you for the
cordial manner in which my proposition has been received; I hope to have
the pleasure of visiting Mademoiselle de Merrivale this evening; I wish
you a good-morning."

The door had closed upon him before the countess had recovered herself
sufficiently to reply.

That evening, before paying his proposed visit to Bertha, M. de Bois
sought Madeleine, to make her a participator in the happiness which she
had so truly predicted