l enough,
but to take his name would be a very questionable act and a skilful one,
but lacking in frankness."

"That is to say that I may devour him like a courtesan, but not marry
him as a--"

"As a young girl, no, you cannot do that. And you put me--I am bound to
tell you so and I take advantage of the intermission to do so--in a
delicate position. If I declared the truth to Rosas, I act toward you as
a rascal. If I keep silent to my friend, my true friend, I act almost
like a knave."

"Did Rosas ask you to speak to me?"

"No, but there is a voice within me that pricks me to speech and tells
me that if I allow you to marry the duke, I am committing myself to a
questionable affair--Do you know what he asked me?--To be his witness."

If Marianne had been in a laughing mood, she would have laughed
heartily.

"It is absurd," she said. "You did not consent?"

"Yes, indeed, I have consented. Because I really hoped that you would
relieve me from such an undesirable duty, a little too questionable."

"You would like?--What would you like?"

"I wish--no, I would have you not marry Monsieur de Rosas."

Marianne shrugged her shoulders.

She clearly felt the threat conveyed in Lissac's words, but she desired
to show from the first that she disdained them. What right, after all,
had this casual acquaintance to mix himself up in her life affairs?
Because, one day, she had been charitable enough to give him her youth
and her body! The duty of friendship! The rights of friendship! To
protect Vaudrey! To defend Rosas! Words, tiresome words!

"And what if I wish to marry him, myself?--Would you prevent it?"

"Yes, if I could!" he said firmly. "It is time that to the freemasonry
of women we should oppose the freemasonry of men."

"You are cruelly cowardly enough when you are alone, what would you be
then when you are together?" said Marianne, with a malignant expression.
"In fact," said she, after a moment's pause, "what would you have? What?
Decide!--Will you send my letters to the duke?"

"That is one way," said Lissac, calmly. "It is a _woman's_ way, that!"

"You have my letters still?"

"Preciously preserved."

He had not contemplated such a threat, but she quickly scented a danger
therein.

"Suppose I should ask the return of those letters, perhaps you would
restore them to me?"

"Probably," he said.

"Suppose I asked you to bring them to me, you know, in that little out
of the way room of which I spoke