iety. On the whole, she seemed very well pleased with her
examination, for she smiled and showed a row of small teeth which were as
white as milk.

"I am sorry now," said she, "that I did not send for a black hat; my hair
is so light that gray makes me look ugly. Do you not think so? Why do you
not reply, Clemence? One can not get a word out of you to-day; is it
because you have your neuralgia?"

"I have a trifle of it," said Madame de Bergenheim, in order to give some
pretext for her preoccupation.

"Now, then, you ought to come with us for a ride; the fresh air will do
you good. Look how fine the weather is now; we will have a good gallop.
Will you? I will help you put on your habit, and in five minutes you will
be ready. Listen, I hear them in the yard now. I am going to tell
Christian to have your horse saddled; come."

Aline took her sister-in-law by the hand, led her into the next room and
opened the window to see what was going on outside, where the cracking of
whips and several voices were to be heard. A servant was walking up and
down the yard leading a large horse which he had just brought from the
stable; the Baron was holding a smaller one, which bore a lady's saddle,
while he carefully examined all the buckles. As he heard the window open
above his head, he turned and bowed to Clemence with much chivalrous
gallantry.

"You still refuse to go with us?" he asked.

"Is Aline going to ride Titania," replied Madame de Bergenheim, making an
effort to speak; "I am sure the mare will end by playing her some trick."

The young girl, who had a fancy for Titania because the skittish creature
had the attraction of forbidden fruit, nudged her sister with her elbow,
and made a little grimace.

"Aline is afraid of nothing," said the Baron; "we will enlist her with
the hussars as soon as she leaves the 'Sacred Heart.' Come, Aline."

The young girl kissed the Baroness, gathered up her skirt, and in a few
moments was in the yard patting the neck of her dear brown mare.

"Up with you!" said Christian, taking his sister's foot in one hand while
he raised her with the other, placing her in the saddle as easily as he
would a six-year-old child. Then he mounted his large horse, saluted his
wife, and the couple, starting at a trot, soon disappeared down the
avenue, which began at the gate of the courtyard.

As soon as they were out of sight, Clemence went to her room, took a
shawl from her bed, and went rapidly down a