nt. What if they did play the parts of grand
duchesses better than those great ladies themselves know how? Only one
woman on earth interested Paul. And--confound his luck!--he did not
know where in this great town he could find her.

Our Paul was not in a particularly pleasant frame of mind when he
strolled out upon the pavement--not waiting even for the piece to end.

Another hour spent at a boulevard table impressed him as the height of
stupidity. He chafed under the enforced inaction of the situation.
"How many more wasted hours must he endure?" he asked himself.

He saw them slowly stretching out before him--days into months--months
into years--years into eternity. Ah! God! that must not be!

* * * * *

And while Paul was wondering, speculating over what seemed well-nigh
impossible, the lights of the Dalmatian Embassy in the _Faubourg St.
Germain_ gleamed brightly out upon the asphalt pavement.

In a sitting room on one of the upper floors sat Natalie Vseslavitch
and the wife of the Ambassador. The guests of the evening had gone,
and they were having one of those little, intimate ante-retiring chats
so dear to the hearts of all women.

"Now, my dear," the elder lady was saying, "I insist that it is high
time you were married. It is ridiculous for a charming girl like you
to take the stand you have. Let me see--you're thirty now--and not a
single man will you encourage--scarcely tolerate--except a few
grey-beards like my own good husband."

Natalie feigned gay laughter, though a bitter pang shot through her
heart at the unconscious stab of the good Countess.

"Just because you fell in love," she replied, "you expect me to do the
same at will. I repeat to you, as to all the rest, I would not give a
_kopeck_ for any man I have ever met. _Pouf_! they do not interest me.
Look! my adored one, I warn you that I shall prove a most intractable
guest if you attempt to inveigle me into any alliance. Ah! you look
guilty already! You see, I know you of old, you dear maker of
marriages!"

The Countess reddened slightly at the charge, but laughed away her
momentary embarrassment. It was true her interest in her young
companion had led her to manage _rencontres_ with various eligibles of
the Countess's acquaintance, and she had already in mind two or three
new possibilities--men prominent in the younger diplomatic set.

"Ah, well! you pretty little incorrigible!" the Countess sighed, "some