d.'

'And the falsest.'

'My father says all women are false; only they can't help it, and don't
mean it.'

'Only some do mean it,' said Berenger, dryly.

'Brother!' cried Philip, fiercely, as if ready to break a lance, 'what
right have you to accuse that kindly, lovely dame of falsehood?'

'It skills not going through all,' said Berenger, wearily. 'I know her
of old. She began by passing herself off on me as my wife.'

'And you were not transported?'

'I am not such a gull as you.'

'How very beautiful your wife must have been!' said Philip, with gruff
amazement overpowering his consideration.

'Much you know about it,' returned Berenger, turning his face away.

There was a long silence, first broken by Philip, asking more
cautiously, 'And what did you say to him?'

'I said whatever could show it was most impossible. Even I said the
brother's handwriting was too plain on my face for me to offer myself
to the sister. But it seems all that is to be passed over as an unlucky
mistake. I wish I could guess what the old fellow is aiming at.'

'I am sure the lady looked at you as if she loved you.'

'Simpleton! She looked to see how she could beguile me. Love! They do
nothing for love here, you foolish boy, save _par amour_. If she loved
me, her father was the last person she would have sent me. No, no;
'tis a new stratagem, if I could only seen my way into it. Perhaps Sir
Francis will when he can spend an hour on me.'

Though full of occupation, Sir Francis never failed daily to look
in upon his convalescent guest, and when he heard of the Chevalier's
interview, he took care that Berenger should have full time to consult
him; and, of course, he inquired a good deal more into the particulars
of the proposal than Philip had done. When he learnt that the Chevalier
had offered all the very considerable riches and lands that Diane
enjoyed in right of her late husband as an equivalent for Berenger's
resignation of all claims upon the Nid-de-Merle property, he noted it
on his tables, and desired to know what these claims might be. 'I cannot
tell,' said Berenger. 'You may remember, sir, the parchments with our
contract of marriage had been taken away from Chateau Leurre, and I have
never seen them.'

'Then,' said the Ambassador, 'you may hold it as certain that those
parchments give you some advantage which he hears, since he is willing
to purchase it at so heavy a price. Otherwise he himself would be the
natural