w?"

He perceived that her eyes were full of tears. Tenderly kissing her hand
he said, with a smile that consoled her:

"This is the first time we have had any dispute; it is possible that
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that if I were a woman I would not
willingly marry a man who was always right."

These words uttered, he assured himself anew that her eyes were humid,
and then he left, charmed to have proved the extent of the empire he
held over her.

When she rejoined M. Langis, the young man asked:

"Does it chance to be I who put Count Larinski to flight? If so, I
should be quite heart-broken."

"Reassure yourself," said she, "he came expressly to inform me that his
evening was not free."

The dinner was only passably lively. Mlle. Moiseney owed M. Langis a
grudge; she could not forgive him for having made fun of her more than
once--in her eyes an unpardonable sin. M. Moriaz was enchanted to find
himself once more in company with his dear Camille; but he kept asking
himself, mournfully, "Why is not he to be my son-in-law?" Antoinette
had several attacks of abstraction; she did not, however, omit the least
friendly attention to Camille. Love had become master of this generous
soul; it might cause it to commit many imprudences, but it was not in
its power to cause it to commit an injustice.

At nine o'clock M. Langis mounted his horse and took his departure.

Meanwhile, Mlle. Moriaz, her arm resting on the ledge of her window, was
meditating on the strange conduct of Count Larinski as she gazed on the
stars; the sky was without clouds, unless a little black speck above
Mount-Valerien might be so called. Mlle. Moriaz's heart swelled with
emotion, and she felt implicit confidence that all would be arranged the
next day. What is one black spot in the immensity of a starry sky?

CHAPTER X

In all that Samuel Brohl did, even in his wildest freaks, there
was somewhat of calculation, or contrivance. Unquestionably, he had
experienced intense displeasure at encountering M. Camille Langis at
Cormeilles; he had, doubtless, very particular and very personal
reasons for not liking him. He knew, however, that there was need for
controlling his temper, his impressions, his rancour; and, if he ceased
to do so for a moment, it was because he counted upon deriving advantage
therefrom. He was impatient to enter into possession, to feel his
good-fortune sheltered from all hazards; delays, procrastinations,
long wai