joyful look, "it must be love."

She took the count's arm once more and moved forward into a small
boudoir which adjoined the cardroom. The marquis followed her.

"Will you not hear me?" he said.

"One would really think, monsieur," she replied, "that I had come here
to meet you, and not to vindicate my own self-respect. If you do not
cease this odious pursuit I shall leave the ballroom."

"Ah!" he cried, recollecting one of the crazy actions of the last Duc de
Lorraine, "let me speak to you so long as I can hold this live coal in
my hand."

He stooped to the hearth and picking up a brand held it tightly.
Mademoiselle de Verneuil flushed, took her arm from that of the count,
and looked at the marquis in amazement. The count softly withdrew,
leaving them alone together. So crazy an action shook Marie's heart, for
there is nothing so persuasive in love as courageous folly.

"You only prove to me," she said, trying to make him throw away the
brand, "that you are willing to make me suffer cruelly. You are extreme
in everything. On the word of a fool and the slander of a woman you
suspected that one who had just saved your life was capable of betraying
you."

"Yes," he said, smiling, "I have been very cruel to you; but
nevertheless, forget it; I shall never forget it. Hear me. I have been
shamefully deceived; but so many circumstances on that fatal day told
against you--"

"And those circumstances were stronger than your love?"

He hesitated; she made a motion of contempt, and rose.

"Oh, Marie. I shall never cease to believe in you now."

"Then throw that fire away. You are mad. Open your hand; I insist upon
it."

He took delight in still resisting the soft efforts of her fingers, but
she succeeded in opening the hand she would fain have kissed.

"What good did that do you?" she said, as she tore her handkerchief and
laid it on the burn, which the marquis covered with his glove.

Madame du Gua had stolen softly into the cardroom, watching the lovers
with furtive eyes, but escaping theirs adroitly; it was, however,
impossible for her to understand their conversation from their actions.

"If all that they said of me was true you must admit that I am avenged
at this moment," said Marie, with a look of malignity which startled the
marquis.

"What feeling brought you here?" he asked.

"Do you suppose, my dear friend, that you can despise a woman like me
with impunity? I came here for your sake and for my ow