just enough
to tint her delicate face. Florent Chapron, the painter's brother-in-law,
was the only man with those three ladies. Countess Steno and Lincoln
Maitland were not there, and one could hear the musical voice of Alba
spelling the heraldry carved on the coffers, formerly opened with tender
curiosity by young girls, laughing and dreaming by turns like her.

"Look, Maud," said she to Madame Gorka, "there is the oak of the Della
Rovere, and there the stars of the Altieri."

"And I have found the column of the Colonna," replied Maud Gorka.

"And you, Lydia?" said Mademoiselle Steno to Madame Maitland.

"And I, the bees of the Barberini."

"And I, the lilies of the Farnese," said in his turn Florent Chapron,
who, having raised his head first, perceived the newcomers. He greeted
them with a pleasant smile, which was reflected in his eyes and which
showed his white teeth. "We no longer expected you, sirs. Every one has
disappointed us. Lincoln did not wish to leave his atelier. It seems that
Mademoiselle Hafner excused herself yesterday to these ladies. Countess
Steno has a headache. We did not even count on the Baron, who is usually
promptness personified."

"I was sure Dorsenne would not fail us," said Alba, gazing at the young
man with her large eyes, of a blue as clear as those of Madame Gorka were
dark. "Only that I expected we should meet him on the staircase as we
were leaving, and that he would say to us, in surprise: 'What, I am not
on time?' Ah," she continued, "do not excuse yourself, but reply to the
examination in Roman history we are about to put you through. We have to
follow here a veritable course studying all these old chests. What are
the arms of this family?" she asked, leaning with Dorsenne over one of
the cassoni. "You do not know? The Carafa, famous man! And what Pope did
they have? You do not know that either? Paul Fourth, sir novelist. If
ever you visit us in Venice, you will be surprised at the Doges."

She employed so affectionate a grace in that speech, and she was so
apparently in one of her moods--so rare, alas! of childish joyousness,
that Dorsenne, preoccupied as he was, felt his heart contract on her
account. The simultaneous absence of Madame Steno and Lincoln Maitland
could only be fortuitous. But persuaded that the Countess loved Maitland,
and not doubting that she was his mistress, the absence of both appeared
singularly suspicious to him. Such a thought sufficed to render the