on my knees; but I should have neither love nor
confidence for you."

"Oh! I do not wish that, for you would be a sad lover, and it is not so
that I like them. No, remain natural, be yourself, M. Ernanton, and
nothing else. I have caprices. Oh! mon Dieu, you told me I was
beautiful, and all beautiful women have them. Do not fear me; and when I
say to the too impetuous Ernanton, 'Calm yourself,' let him consult my
eyes and not my voice."

At these words she rose.

It was time, for the young man seized her in his arms, and his lips
touched her mask; but through this mask her eyes darted such a flaming
glance that he drew back.

"Well," said she, "we shall meet again. Decidedly you please me, M. de
Carmainges." Ernanton bowed.

"When are you free?" asked she.

"Alas! very rarely, madame."

"Ah! your service is fatiguing, is it not?"

"What service?"

"That which you perform near the king. Are you not some kind of guard to
his majesty?"

"I form part of a body of gentlemen, madame."

"That is what I mean. They are all Gascons, are they not?"

"Yes, madame."

"How many are there? I forget."

"Forty-five."

"What a singular number!"

"I believe it was chance."

"And these forty-five gentlemen never quit the king, you say?"

"I did not say so, madame."

"Ah! I thought you did; at least, you said you had very little liberty."

"It is true, I have very little; because by day we are on service near
the king, and at night we stay at the Louvre."

"In the evening?"

"Yes."

"Every evening?"

"Nearly."

"What would have happened then this evening, if your duty had kept you?
I, who waited for you, and should have been ignorant of the cause of
your absence, should have thought my advances despised."

"Ah! madame, to see you I will risk all, I swear to you."

"It would be useless and absurd; I do not wish it."

"But then--"

"Do your duty; I will arrange, who am free and mistress of my time."

"What goodness, madame!"

"But you have not explained to me," said the duchess, with her
insinuating smile, "how you happened to be free this evening, and how
you came."

"This evening, madame, I was thinking of asking permission of De
Loignac, our captain, who is very kind to me, when the order came to
give a night's holiday to the Forty-five."

"And on what account was this leave given?"

"As recompense, I believe, madame, for a somewhat fatiguing service
yesterday at Vincennes."

"Ah! very wel