to him.

"And I, then?" she cried with a violence she could no longer restrain.

Serge made a sign. The drawing-room window was still open, and from
outside they could be heard.

"Jeanne, in mercy calm yourself," replied he. "You are in a state of
excitement."

"Which makes you uncomfortable?" interrupted the young girl mockingly.

"Yes, but for your sake only," said he, coldly.

"For mine?"

"Certainly. I fear your committing an imprudence which might harm you."

"Yes; but you with me! And it is that only which makes you afraid."

The Prince looked at Mademoiselle de Cernay, smilingly. Changing his
tone, he took her hand in his.

"How naughty you are to-night! And what temper you are showing toward
poor Serge! What an opinion he will have of himself after your displaying
such a flattering scene of jealousy!"

Jeanne drew away her hand.

"Ah, don't try to joke. This is not the moment, I assure you. You don't
exactly realize your situation. Don't you understand that I am prepared
to tell Madame Desvarennes everything--"

"Everything!" said the Prince. "In truth, it would not amount to much.
You would tell her that I met you in England; that I courted you, and
that you found my attentions agreeable. And then? It pleases you to think
too seriously of that midsummer night's dream under the great trees of
Churchill Castle, and you reproach me for my errors! But what are they?
Seriously, I do not see them! We lived in a noisy world; where we enjoyed
the liberty which English manners allow to young people. Your aunt found
no fault with the charming chatter which the English call flirtation. I
told you I loved you; you allowed me to think that I was not displeasing
to you. We, thanks to that delightful agreement, spent a most agreeable
summer, and now you do not wish to put an end to that pleasant little
excursion made beyond the limits drawn by our Parisian world, so severe,
whatever people say about it. It is not reasonable, and it is imprudent.
If you carry out your menacing propositions, and if you take my future
mother-in-law as judge of the rights which you claim, don't you
understand that you would be condemned beforehand? Her interests are
directly opposed to yours. Could she hesitate between her daughter and
you?"

"Oh! your calculations are clever and your measures were well taken,"
replied Jeanne. "Still, if Madame Desvarennes were not the woman you
think her--" Then, hesitating:

"If she took my