he coulisses, or a
lansquenet, or the gas-lights of the Maison Doree, and the Closerie des
Lilas, to watch her thorough enjoyment of a vaudeville, her fervent
feeling in an opera, or to waltz with her at a ball, and note her glad
recognition of him.

To this girl, Ernest opened his heart and mind as he--being a reserved,
proud, and skeptical man--had never done to any one; there was a
sympathy and confidence between them, and she learned much of his inner
nature as she talked to him soft and low under the forest trees of
Fontainebleau, such talk as could not be heard in Bluette's boudoir,
under the wax-lights of the Quartier Breda, or in the flow of the
Sillery at la Melusine's soupers. All this was new to the tired _Lion_,
and amused him immensely. La chevelure doree was twisting the golden
meshes of its net round him, as De Concressault told him one day.

"Nonsense," said Ernest; "have I not two loves already on my hands more
than I want?"

"Dethrone them, and promote la petite."

Vaughan turned on his friend with his eyes flashing.

"Bon Dieu! do you take her for a ballet-girl or a grisette?"

"Well, if you don't like that, marry her then, mon cher. You will
satisfy your fancy, and get cinquante mille francs de rente--at a
sacrifice, of course; but, que veux-tu? There is no medal without its
reverse, though a 'lion marie' is certainly an anomaly, an absurdity,
and an intense pity."

"Tais-toi," said Ernest, impatiently; "tu es fou! Caught in the toils of
a wretched intrigante, in the power of any tailor in the Rue Vivienne,
any jeweller in the Palais Royal, my money spent on follies, my life
wasted in play, the turf, and worthless women, I have much indeed to
offer to a young girl who has wealth, beauty, genius, and heart!"

"All the more reason why you should make a good coup," said Emile,
calmly, after listening with pitying surprise to his friend in his new
mood. "You have a handsome face, a fashionable reputation, and a good
name. Bah! you can do anything. As for your life, all women like a
mauvais sujet, and unless the De Melusine turn out a Brinvilliers, I
don't see what you have to fear."

"When I want your counsel, Emile, I will ask it," said Vaughan, shortly;
"but, as I have no intention of going in for the prize, there is no need
for you to bet on the chance of the throw."

"Comme tu veux!" said the Parisian, shrugging his shoulders. "That homme
de paille, your priestly cousin, will take her bac