. They were happy in being able to
substitute a sort of positive and formal religion for restraints so
limited as their own confused and floating notions of honor. For Camors
himself, as is easily understood, it was a new barrier which he wished to
erect between himself and the passion which fascinated him. He attached
himself to this with redoubled force, as the only moral bond yet left
him. He completed his work by making the General accept the title of
President of the Association. The General, to whom Honor was a sort of
mysterious but real goddess, was delighted to preside over the worship of
his idol. He felt flattered by his young friend's selection, and esteemed
him the more.

It was the middle of winter. The Marquise Campvallon had resumed for some
time her usual course of life, which was at the same time strict but
elegant. Punctual at church every morning, at the Bois and at charity
bazaars during the day, at the opera or the theatres in the evening, she
had received M. de Camors without the shadow of apparent emotion. She
even treated him more simply and more naturally than ever, with no
recurrence to the past, no allusion to the scene in the park during the
storm; as if she had, on that day, disclosed everything that had lain
hidden in her heart. This conduct so much resembled indifference, that
Camors should have been delighted; but he was not--on the contrary he was
annoyed by it. A cruel but powerful interest, already too dear to his
blase soul, was disappearing thus from his life. He was inclined to
believe that Madame de Campvallon possessed a much less complicated
character than he had fancied; and that little by little absorbed in
daily trifles, she had become in reality what she pretended to be--a good
woman, inoffensive, and contented with her lot.

He was one evening in his orchestra-stall at the opera. They were singing
The Huguenots. The Marquise occupied her box between the columns. The
numerous acquaintances Camors met in the passages during the first
entr'acte prevented his going as soon as usual to pay his respects to his
cousin. At last, after the fourth act, he went to visit her in her box,
where he found her alone, the General having descended to the parterre
for a few moments. He was astonished, on entering, to find traces of
tears on the young woman's cheeks. Her eyes were even moist. She seemed
displeased at being surprised in the very act of sentimentality.

"Music always excites my