found among young
girls--these things come after one knows, and can discriminate--put them
aside from your thoughts--they are temptations which one resists if one
can, and at all events makes no scandals about.--Love! _Mon Dieu_, it is
the song of the poets, it cannot happen in the world--with
satisfaction--It must be a pain always--Do your duty to your race, and
your class--and try not to mix up sentiment with it!"

"There is no hope of my finding someone I could really love, then?"

"I do not know--in your own country it may be--here it is the wife of
someone else who holds the charm--and if it were not for _tenue_ society
could not exist.

"All that one must ask of the young is that they act with discretion, so
that they can reach the autumn of life without scandals against their
names--If the _Bon Dieu_ adds love--then they have been indeed
fortunate."

"But Duchesse--with your great heart--have you never loved--?"

Her eyes seemed to grow beautiful and young again--they diffused a
fire--.

"Loved--Nicholas--! All women love once in their lives--happy for them
if it has not burnt their souls in its passage--Happy if the _Bon Dieu_
has let it merge into love for humanity--" And soft tears dimmed the
dark blue brilliancy.

I leaned forward and kissed her hand with deep devotion--then the
ancient servitor came in and she was called to a ward--but I left
feeling that if there is really some barrier of family between Alathea
and me--there would be no use in my appealing to the Duchesse--Sorrows
she understands--and war and suffering--and self-sacrifice--Love she
understands and passion--and all that appertains thereto--but all these
things go to the wall before the conception of the meaning of _noblesse
oblige_ which ruled when Adelaide de Mont Orgeuil--wedded the Duc de
Courville-Hautevine, in the eighties! The only thing left now was to
telephone to Maurice--.

He came in for a few minutes just before dinner--.

He has questioned Alwood Chester of the American Red Cross, who had told
him that Miss Sharp had been Miss Sharp always while she worked for
them, and that no one knew anything further about her.

Well!--if her father is a convict, and her mother--in a mad house, and
her sister consumptive--I still want her for herself--.

Is that true--Could I face disease and insanity coming into my family--?

I don't know--All I know is that I do not believe whatever curse hangs
over the rest it has touched he