this plan, at about three o'clock she went to the Baroness,
though it was not the day when she was due to dine with her; but she
wished to enjoy the anguish which Hortense must endure at the hour when
Wenceslas was in the habit of making his appearance.

"Have you come to dinner?" asked the Baroness, concealing her
disappointment.

"Well, yes."

"That's well," replied Hortense. "I will go and tell them to be
punctual, for you do not like to be kept waiting."

Hortense nodded reassuringly to her mother, for she intended to tell the
man-servant to send away Monsieur Steinbock if he should call; the man,
however, happened to be out, so Hortense was obliged to give her orders
to the maid, and the girl went upstairs to fetch her needlework and sit
in the ante-room.

"And about my lover?" said Cousin Betty to Hortense, when the girl came
back. "You never ask about him now?"

"To be sure, what is he doing?" said Hortense. "He has become famous.
You ought to be very happy," she added in an undertone to Lisbeth.
"Everybody is talking of Monsieur Wenceslas Steinbock."

"A great deal too much," replied she in her clear tones. "Monsieur is
departing.--If it were only a matter of charming him so far as to defy
the attractions of Paris, I know my power; but they say that in order to
secure the services of such an artist, the Emperor Nichols has pardoned
him----"

"Nonsense!" said the Baroness.

"When did you hear that?" asked Hortense, who felt as if her heart had
the cramp.

"Well," said the villainous Lisbeth, "a person to whom he is bound by
the most sacred ties--his wife--wrote yesterday to tell him so. He
wants to be off. Oh, he will be a great fool to give up France to go to
Russia!--"

Hortense looked at her mother, but her head sank on one side; the
Baroness was only just in time to support her daughter, who dropped
fainting, and as white as her lace kerchief.

"Lisbeth! you have killed my child!" cried the Baroness. "You were born
to be our curse!"

"Bless me! what fault of mine is this, Adeline?" replied Lisbeth, as she
rose with a menacing aspect, of which the Baroness, in her alarm, took
no notice.

"I was wrong," said Adeline, supporting the girl. "Ring."

At this instant the door opened, the women both looked round, and saw
Wenceslas Steinbock, who had been admitted by the cook in the maid's
absence.

"Hortense!" cried the artist, with one spring to the group of women. And
he kissed his betrothed