vain that day, and four days after.

Attributing his tardiness to some new misfortune, she thought of writing
to him, when at last, on Tuesday,--the day which the countess had chosen
for her reception-day,--but not until the room was already quite full of
company, the servant announced,--"M. Palmer, M. de Brevan!"

Seized with most violent emotions, Henrietta turned round suddenly,
casting upon the door one of those glances in which a whole soul is
read at once. At last she was to know him whom her Daniel had called his
second self. Two men entered: one, quite old, had gray hair, and looked
as grave and solemn as a member of parliament; the other, who might be
thirty or thirty-five years old, looked cold and haughty, having thin
lips and a sardonic smile.

"That is the man!" said Henrietta to herself; "that is Daniel's friend!"

At first she disliked him excessively. Upon examining him more closely,
she thought his composure affected, and his whole appearance lacking
in frankness. But she never thought for a moment of distrusting M. de
Brevan. Daniel had blindly recommended him to her; and that was enough.
She had been too severely punished when she tried to follow her own
inspirations, ever to think of repeating the experiment.

Still she kept him in view. After having been presented to the Countess
Sarah and her husband, he had thrown himself into the crowd, and
managed, after a while, to get near to her. He went from one group to
another, throwing a word to each one, gaining thus, insensibly, and
without affectation, a small chair, which was vacant, by the side of
Henrietta.

And the air of perfect indifference with which he took possession of it
would have made you think he had fully measured the danger of risking
a confidential talk with a young lady under the eyes of fifty or sixty
persons. He commenced with some of those set phrases which furnish the
currency of society, speaking loud enough to be heard by the neighbors,
and to satisfy their curiosity, if they should have a fancy for
listening. As he noticed that Henrietta had turned very red, and looked
overcome, while fixing most anxiously her eyes upon him, he even said,--

"I pray you, madam, affect a little more indifference. Smile; we may be
watched. Remember that we must not know each other; that we are perfect
strangers to each other."

Then he began in a very loud voice to sing the praise of the last new
play that had been performed, until finall