Count
Tristan was removed she had no gracious plea for excusing herself to
those who called as visitors. She received them with graceful ease and
dignified composure. Not one of them had courage or inclination to make
the faintest allusion to the past, or to their acquaintance with her as
"Mademoiselle Melanie." It was Mademoiselle de Gramont in whose presence
they sat. Even Madame de Fleury had too much perception to venture to
ask her advice upon questions of the deepest interest,--namely, the most
becoming shapes for new attire, the selection of colors, the choice of
appropriate trimmings, or some equally important matter which engrossed
that troubled lady's thoughts, and caused her many wakeful nights.

After Count Tristan and Maurice returned to the hotel, Bertha escaped
from imprisonment. When she informed her aunt that she was suffering
from want of fresh air, the countess requested her to accompany Count
Tristan and herself upon their daily drive; but Bertha maintained that
driving would do her no good; she detested a close carriage; she wanted
more active exercise,--she would take a brisk walk with her maid. Madame
de Gramont would assuredly have mounted guard over her niece in person,
were it not that the fatigue experienced even after a couple of hours'
driving, admonished her that she lacked the strength for pedestrianism.
Bertha was allowed to go forth attended only by Adolphine. Her walk
always lay in one direction, and that was toward the residence of
Madeleine; and, strange to say, she never failed to encounter M. de
Bois, who was always going the same way! These invigorating promenades
had a marvellous effect in restoring Bertha's faded color and vanished
spirits; and in the small, sad circle of which the stern-visaged
Countess de Gramont formed the centre, there was, at least, one radiant
face.

About this time the quiet monotony of Maurice's life was broken by a
letter from his partner, Mr. Lorrillard. This gentleman had only
recently learned from Mr. Emerson the painful circumstances which had
taken place in connection with the loan made to the Viscount de Gramont
at Mr. Lorrillard's suggestion. Mr. Lorrillard prided himself upon being
too good a judge of character and upon having studied that of Maurice
too thoroughly, not to feel confident that some satisfactory
explanation could be given to occurrences which wore a very dubious
aspect. He wrote kindly, yet frankly, to Maurice, requesting to know