s with him in drawing-rooms, at the theatre, in
the House, and at the Embassies; she wore her love upon her face, upon
her whole person, in her moist glances, in the languishing smile of her
lips, in the heaving of her breast, in all her heightened, agitated,
and distracted beauty. Soon the entire country knew of their intimacy.
Foreign Courts were informed of it. The President of the Republic and
Eveline's husband alone remained in ignorance. The President became
acquainted with it in the country, through a misplaced police report
which found its way, it is not known how, into his portmanteau.

Hippolyte Ceres, without being either very subtle, or very
perspicacious, noticed that there was something different in his home.
Eveline, who quite lately had interested herself in his affairs, and
shown, if not tenderness, at least affection, towards him, displayed
henceforth nothing but indifference and repulsion. She had always had
periods of absence, and made prolonged visits to the Charity of St.
Orberosia; now, she went out in the morning, remained out all day, and
sat down to dinner at nine o'clock in the evening with the face of a
somnambulist. Her husband thought it absurd; however, he might perhaps
have never known the reason for this; a profound ignorance of women, a
crass confidence in his own merit, and in his own fortune, might perhaps
have always hidden the truth from him, if the two lovers had not, so to
speak, compelled him to discover it.

When Paul Visire went to Eveline's house and found her alone, they
used to say, as they embraced each other; "Not here! not here!" and
immediately they affected an extreme reserve. That was their invariable
rule. Now, one day, Paul Visire went to the house of his colleague
Ceres, with whom he had an engagement. It was Eveline who received him,
the Minister of Commerce being delayed by a commission.

"Not here!" said the lovers, smiling.

They said it, mouth to mouth, embracing, and clasping each other. They
were still saying it, when Hippolyte Ceres entered the drawing-room.

Paul Visire did not lose his presence of mind. He declared to Madame
Ceres that he would give up his attempt to take the dust out of her
eye. By this attitude he did not deceive the husband, but he was able to
leave the room with some dignity.

Hippolyte Ceres was thunderstruck. Eveline's conduct appeared
incomprehensible to him; he asked her what reasons she had for it.

"Why? why?" he kept repe