went on.

It seemed to Newman a handsome proposal, and such proposals always
touched the sources of his good-nature. He said to Madame de Bellegarde
that he should be glad to come on the 25th or any other day, and that it
mattered very little whether he met his friends at her house or at his
own. I have said that Newman was observant, but it must be admitted that
on this occasion he failed to notice a certain delicate glance which
passed between Madame de Bellegarde and the marquis, and which we may
presume to have been a commentary upon the innocence displayed in that
latter clause of his speech.

Valentin de Bellegarde walked away with Newman that evening, and when
they had left the Rue de l'Universite some distance behind them he said
reflectively, "My mother is very strong--very strong." Then in answer to
an interrogative movement of Newman's he continued, "She was driven to
the wall, but you would never have thought it. Her fete of the 25th was
an invention of the moment. She had no idea whatever of giving a fete,
but finding it the only issue from your proposal, she looked straight
at the dose--excuse the expression--and bolted it, as you saw, without
winking. She is very strong."

"Dear me!" said Newman, divided between relish and compassion. "I don't
care a straw for her fete, I am willing to take the will for the deed."

"No, no," said Valentin, with a little inconsequent touch of family
pride. "The thing will be done now, and done handsomely."

CHAPTER XV

Valentin de Bellegarde's announcement of the secession of Mademoiselle
Nioche from her father's domicile and his irreverent reflections upon
the attitude of this anxious parent in so grave a catastrophe, received
a practical commentary in the fact that M. Nioche was slow to seek
another interview with his late pupil. It had cost Newman some disgust
to be forced to assent to Valentin's somewhat cynical interpretation of
the old man's philosophy, and, though circumstances seemed to indicate
that he had not given himself up to a noble despair, Newman thought it
very possible he might be suffering more keenly than was apparent. M.
Nioche had been in the habit of paying him a respectful little visit
every two or three weeks and his absence might be a proof quite as much
of extreme depression as of a desire to conceal the success with which
he had patched up his sorrow. Newman presently learned from Valentin
several details touching this new phase of