ms everywhere, and lived in a perfect
atmosphere of flattery. Not being able to shine by means of cultivation
or polish, he sought to gain a position in his club by a certain
roughness of demeanor and a cynical mode of speech. He flung away his
money in every direction, kept racers, and was uniformly fortunate in
his betting transactions. He frequented the world of gallantry, and was
constantly to be seen in the company of women whose reputations were
exceedingly equivocal. His days were spent on horseback, or in the
fencing room, and his nights in drinking, gambling, and all kinds of
debauchery. His wife scarcely ever saw him, for when he returned home
it was usually with the first beams of day, either half intoxicated or
savage from having lost large sums at the gambling table. Jean, the old
and trusty retainer of the house of Champdoce, was deeply grieved, not
so much at seeing his master so rapidly pursuing the path to ruin as
at the fact that he was ever surrounded by dissolute and disreputable
acquaintances.

"Think of your name," he would urge; "of the honor of your name."

"And what does that matter," sneered Norbert, "provided that I live a
jolly life, and shuffle out of the world rapidly?"

There was one fixed star in all the dark clouds that surrounded him,
which now seemed to blaze brightly, and this star was Diana de Mussidan.
Do what he would, it was impossible to efface her image from his memory.
Even amidst the fumes of wine and the debauched revelry of the supper
table he could see the form that he had once so passionately loved
standing out like a pillar of light, clear and distinct against the
darkness. He had led this demoralizing existence for fully six months,
when one day, as he was riding down the Avenue des Champs Elysees, he
saw a lady give him a friendly bow. She was seated in a magnificent open
carriage, wrapped in the richest and most costly furs. Thinking that she
might be one of the many actresses with whom he was acquainted, Norbert
turned his horse's head towards the carriage; but as he got nearer he
saw, to his extreme amazement and almost terror, that it was Diana de
Mussidan who was seated in it. He did not turn back, however; and as
the carriage had just drawn up, he reined in his horse alongside of it.
Diana was as much agitated as he was, and for a moment neither of them
spoke, but their eyes were firmly fixed upon each other, and they sat
pale and breathless, as if each had some