planation.

It was such a calm, steady glance that the latter could not help being
impressed by it.

"Well," said she, softening her voice, "there is no necessity for putting
on such queenly airs; we are here alone, and you know that I am a kind
aunt to you. Now, then, speak freely--have you left anything or any
person in Paris, the remembrance of which makes your sojourn here more
tiresome than it really is? Any of your adorers of the winter?"

"What an idea, aunt! Did I have any adorers?" exclaimed Madame de
Bergenheim, quickly, as if trying to conceal by a smile the rosy flush
that mounted to her cheeks.

"And what if you should have some, child?" continued the old maid, to
whom curiosity lent an unaccustomed coaxing accent to her voice, "where
would be the harm? Is it forbidden to please? When one is of good birth,
must one not live in society and hold one's position there? One need not
bury one's self in a desert at twenty-three years of age, and you really
are charming enough to inspire love; you understand, I do not say, to
experience it; but when one is young and pretty conquests are made almost
unwittingly. You are not the first of the family to whom that has
happened; you are a Corandeuil. Now, then, my good Clemence, what
troubled heart is pining for you in Paris? Is it Monsieur de Mauleon?"

"Monsieur de Mauleon!" exclaimed the young woman, bursting into laughter;
"he, a heart! and a troubled one, too! Oh, aunt, you do him honor!
Monsieur de Mauleon, who is past forty-five years old and wears stays! an
audacious man who squeezes his partners' hands in the dance and looks at
them with passionate glances! Oh! Monsieur de Mauleon!"

Mademoiselle de Corandeuil sanctioned by a slight grimace of her thin
lips her niece's burst of gayety, when, with one hand upon her heart, she
rolled her sparkling eyes in imitation of the languishing air of her
unfortunate adorer.

"Perhaps it is Monsieur d'Arzenac?"

"Monsieur d'Arzenac is certainly very nice; he has perfect manners; it
may be that he did not disdain to chat with me; on my side, I found his
conversation very entertaining; but you may rest assured that he did not
think of me nor I of him. Besides, you know that he is engaged to marry
Mademoiselle de la Neuville."

"Monsieur de Gerfaut?" continued Mademoiselle de Corandeuil, with the
persistency with which aged people follow an idea, and as if determined
to pass in review all the young men of their acquai