eye, and looked
towards the lady.

"Ah! the senorina. Don't you know _her?_ Why, where have you been, my
dear chevalier? Oh! I forgot. You've been in Austria, or Russia, or some
barbarous place or other. She is the belle, _par excellence_; nothing
else is talked of in Paris."

"But her name? Who is she?" said Duchesne, impatiently.

"Mademoiselle de Lacostellerie, the daughter of the house," said the
baron, completely overcome with astonishment at our ignorance. "And you
not to know this!--you, of all men living! Why," he continued, dropping
his voice to a lower key, "there never was such a fortune. Mines of
rubies and emeralds; continents of coffee, rice, and sandal-wood; spice
islands and sugar plantations, to make one's mouth water."

"By Jove, Baron! you seem somewhat susceptible yourself."

"I had my thoughts on the subject," said he, with a half sigh. "But,
_helas!_ there are so many ties to be broken! so many tender chains one
must snap asunder!"

"I understand," said Duchesne, with an air of well-assumed seriousness;
"the thing was impossible. Now, then, what say you to assist a friend?"

"You,--yourself, do you mean?"

"Of course, Baron; no other."

"Come this way," said the old man, taking him by the arm, and leading
him along to another part of the room, while Duchesne, with a sly look
at me, followed.

While I stood awaiting his return, my thoughts became fixed on Duchesne
himself, of whose character I never felt free from my misgivings. The
cold indifference he manifested on ordinary occasions to everything and
everybody, I now saw could give way to strong impetuosity; but even this
might be assumed also. As I pondered thus, I had not remarked that the
dance was concluded; and already the dancers were proceeding towards
their seats, when I heard my name uttered beside me,--"Capitaine
Burke." I turned; it was the countess herself, leaning on the arm of her
daughter.

"I wish to present you to my daughter," said she, with a courteous
smile. "The college friend and brother officer of your cousin Tascher,
Pauline."

The young lady courtesied with an air of cold reserve; I bowed deeply
before her; while the countess continued,--

"We hope to have the pleasure of seeing you frequently during your
stay in Paris, when we shall have a better opportunity of making your
acquaintance."

As I expressed my sense of this politeness, I turned to address a few
words to mademoiselle; and requesting to have