eplying
directly to the words which had escaped from the full heart of Ernanton.

"No, madame; the admittance was easier than I could have thought."

"Yes, all is easy for a man; it is so different for a woman. What were
you saying before, monsieur?" added she, carelessly, and pulling off her
glove to show a beautiful hand, at once plump and taper.

"I said, madame, that without having seen your face, I know who you are,
and without fear of making a mistake, may say that I love you."

"Then you are sure that I am her whom you expected to find here?"

"My heart tells me so."

"Then you know me?"

"Yes."

"Really! you, a provincial, only just-arrived, you already know the
women of Paris?"

"In all Paris, madame, I know but one."

"And that is me?"

"I believe so."

"By what do you recognize me?"

"By your voice, your grace, and your beauty."

"My voice, perhaps; I cannot disguise it. My grace; I may appropriate
the compliment; but as for my beauty, it is veiled."

"It was less so, madame, on the day when, to bring you into Paris, I
held you so near to me that your breast touched my shoulders, and I felt
your breath on my neck."

"Then, on the receipt of my letter, you guessed that it came from me?"

"Oh! no, madame, not for a moment; I believed I was the subject of some
joke, or the victim of some error, and it is only during the last few
minutes that, seeing you, touching you--" and he tried to take her hand,
but she withdrew it.

"Enough!" said the lady; "the fact is, that I have committed a great
folly."

"In what, madame?"

"In what? You say that you know me, and then ask."

"Oh! it is true, madame, that I am very insignificant and obscure near
your highness."

"Mon Dieu! monsieur, pray be silent. Have you no sense?"

"What have I done?" cried Ernanton, frightened.

"You see me in a mask, and if I wear one, it is for disguise, and yet
you call me your highness."

"Ah, pardon me, madame," said Ernanton, "but I believed in the
discretion of these walls."

"It appears you are credulous."

"Alas! madame, I am in love."

"And you are convinced that I reciprocate this love?"

Ernanton rose piqued.

"No, madame," replied he.

"Then what do you believe?"

"I believe that you have something important to say to me, and that, not
wishing to receive me at your hotel, or at Bel-Esbat, you preferred this
isolated spot."

"You thought that?"--"Yes."

"And what do you think I could have