nd slowly put it on, so that the
cadet had an opportunity to get close to her. "Follow us," she whispered
to him, and then ran after the others.

The cadet was only too glad to obey her directions, and followed them at
a distance, without being observed, to the house where they lived. A week
passed without his seeing the pretty Angelica again, or without her
giving him any sign of life. The waiter in the Horticultural Society's
grounds, whom he asked about them, could tell him nothing more than that
they were people of position, and a few days later the cadet saw them all
again at a concert, but he was satisfied with looking at his ideal from a
distance. She, however, when she could do so without danger, gave him
one of those coquettish looks which inexperienced young men imagine
express the innermost feelings of a pure, virgin heart. On that occasion
she left the grounds with her sisters, much earlier, and as she passed
the handsome cadet, she let a small piece of rolled-up paper fall, which
only contained the words: "Come at ten o'clock to-night, and ring the
bell."

He was outside the house at the stroke of ten and rang, but his
astonishment knew no bounds when, instead of Angelica or her confidential
maid, the housekeeper opened the door. She saw his confusion, and quickly
put an end to it by taking his hand, and pulling him into the house.
"Come with me," she whispered; "I know all about it. The young lady will
be here directly, so come along." Then she lead him through the kitchen
into a room which was shut off from the rest of the house, and which she
had apparently furnished for similar meetings, on her own account, and
left him there by himself, and the cadet was rather surprised to see the
elegant furniture, a wide, soft couch, and some rather obscene pictures
in broad, gilt frames. In a few minutes, the beautiful girl came, in, and
without any further ceremony, threw her arms round the young soldier's
neck. In her _negligee_, she appeared to him much more beautiful than in
her elegant outdoor dress, but the virginal fragrance which then pervaded
her, had given way to that voluptuous atmosphere which surrounds a young
newly-married woman.

Angelica, whose little feet were encased in blue velvet slippers lined
with ermine, and who was wrapped in a richly embroidered, white
dressing-gown, that was trimmed with lace, drew the handsome cadet down
on to the couch with graceful energy, and almost before he exactly