rself at the piano. The new song only
made Maurice desire to hear some of the old ones, and then other new
ones, and she sang on until an unexpected and startling interruption
destroyed all the harmony of the hour. But that occurrence we will
relate in due season. We must first return to the hotel which Maurice
had left before his usual hour, that he might pay a visit to Mr. Emerson
previous to calling upon Madeleine.

The palatable delicacies which Madeleine daily sent to the invalids
always reached the hotel at an hour when Maurice had promised to be at
home. Robert had strict orders to deliver the salver to one of the hotel
servants, and never to appear before the countess. This morning,
however, the arrival of a large number of travellers had occupied all
the domestics; not a waiter was to be found. Robert was anxious to
inquire about a silver milk-jug which had not been returned. He carried
his salver to the door of Madame de Gramont's drawing-room, though
without intending to enter. The door happened to be open; he could see
that the room was only occupied by Count Tristan, who was asleep in his
arm-chair, and Mrs. Lawkins. She was the person whom he wished to see.
The temptation was too great to be resisted. He entered with soundless
feet, and placed upon the table a salver bearing a bowl of beef tea,
two glasses of calves'-feet jelly, a plate of those Normandy cakes which
the countess had so much relished, and a dish of superb white and red
raspberries.

Approaching his mouth to Mrs. Lawkins' ear, Robert said, in a whisper,--

"Mrs. Lawkins, I had to come in, for you were just the person I wanted
to see. You never sent back the silver milk-pitcher."

"The milk-pitcher?" replied Mrs. Lawkins. "Bless my heart! You don't say
so? It's not here! I hope it's not been stolen. It must have got mixed
up with the hotel silver and gone downstairs."

"You'll be sure to hunt it up, Mrs. Lawkins. I have said nothing to
Mademoiselle Melanie,--Mademoiselle Madeleine, I mean; but I am
responsible, as you know, for all her silver, and I can't have what I
bring here mislaid; as you were here I thought it was quite safe. How is
the poor gentleman?"

"Ah, not so well as he was under Mademoiselle Madeleine's care. I'll see
after the silver jug, and keep a sharp look-out for the silver in
future."

Robert and Mrs. Lawkins stood with their backs to the door of Madame de
Gramont's apartment, which opened into the drawing-room. W