y. Is it fascination, magnetism, or what?"

While the friends and relations were weeping, counselling, and buzzing
around him, Fougas, serene and smiling, gazed at himself in Clementine's
eyes, while they, too, regarded him tenderly.

"This must be brought to an end!" cried Mlle. Sambucco the severe.
"Come, Clementine!"

Fougas seemed surprised.

"She doesn't live here, then?"

"No, sir; she lives with me."

"Then I will escort her home. Angel! will you take my arm?"

"Oh, yes, Monsieur, with great pleasure!"

Leon gnashed his teeth.

"This is admirable! He presumes on such familiarity, and she takes it
all as a matter of course!"

He went to get his hat, for the purpose of, at least, going home with
the aunt, but his hat was not in its place; Fougas, who had not yet one
of his own, had helped himself to it without ceremony. The poor lover
crowded his head into a cap, and followed Fougas and Clementine, with
the respectable Virginie, whose arm cut like a scythe.

By an accident which happened almost daily, the Colonel of cuirassiers
met Clementine on the way home. The young lady directed Fougas'
attention to him.

"That's M. du Marnet," said she. "His restaurant is at the end of our
street, and his room at the side of the park. I think he is very much
taken with my little self, but he has never even bowed to me. The only
man for whom my heart has ever beaten is Leon Renault."

"Ah, indeed! And me?" said Fougas.

"Oh! as for you, that's another matter. I respect you, and stand in awe
of you. It seems to me as if you were a good and respectable parent."

"Thank you!"

"I'm telling you the truth, as far as I can read it in my heart. All
this is not very clear, I confess, but I do not understand myself."

"Azure flower of innocence, I adore your sweet perplexity! Let love take
care of itself; it will speak to you in master tones."

"I don't know anything about that; it's possible! Here we are at home.
Good evening, Monsieur; embrace me.--Good night, Leon; don't quarrel
with M. Fougas. I love him with all my heart, but I love you in a
different way!"

The aunt Virginie made no response to the "Good evening" of Fougas. When
the two men were alone in the street, Leon marched along without saying
a word, till they reached the next lamp-post. There, planting himself
resolutely opposite the Colonel, he said,

"Well, sir, now that we are alone, we had better have an explanation. I
don't know by what philt