e ten minutes," cried Calyste, kissing his mother
violently as she followed him to the door.

XI. FEMALE DIPLOMACY

Calyste ran with the lightness of a young fawn to Les Touches and
reached the portico just as Camille and Beatrix were leaving the grand
salon after their dinner. He had the sense to offer his arm to Felicite.

"So you have abandoned your viscountess and her daughter for us," she
said, pressing his arm; "we are able now to understand the full merit of
that sacrifice."

"Are these Kergarouets related to the Portendueres, and to old Admiral
de Kergarouet, whose widow married Charles de Vandenesse?" asked Madame
de Rochefide.

"The viscountess is the admiral's great-niece," replied Camille.

"Well, she's a charming girl," said Beatrix, placing herself gracefully
in a Gothic chair. "She will just do for you, Monsieur du Guenic."

"The marriage will never take place," said Camille hastily.

Mortified by the cold, calm air with which the marquise seemed to
consider the Breton girl as the only creature fit to mate him, Calyste
remained speechless and even mindless.

"Why so, Camille?" asked Madame de Rochefide.

"Really, my dear," said Camille, seeing Calyste's despair, "you are not
generous; did I advise Conti to marry?"

Beatrix looked at her friend with a surprise that was mingled with
indefinable suspicions.

Calyste, unable to understand Camille's motive, but feeling that she
came to his assistance and seeing in her cheeks that faint spot of color
which he knew to mean the presence of some violent emotion, went up
to her rather awkwardly and took her hand. But she left him and seated
herself carelessly at the piano, like a woman so sure of her friend and
lover that she can afford to leave him with another woman. She played
variations, improvising them as she played, on certain themes chosen,
unconsciously to herself, by the impulse of her mind; they were
melancholy in the extreme.

Beatrix seemed to listen to the music, but she was really observing
Calyste, who, much too young and artless for the part which Camille was
intending him to play, remained in rapt adoration before his real idol.

After about an hour, during which time Camille continued to play,
Beatrix rose and retired to her apartments. Camille at once took Calyste
into her chamber and closed the door, fearing to be overheard; for women
have an amazing instinct of distrust.

"My child," she said, "if you want to succeed wi