liation is dreaded as an agony more cruel
than death itself. But, by a manoeuvre of Maxime's, that blow to her
pride, that outrage which women secure of their rank in Olympus cast
upon others who have fallen from their midst, was now to descend on
Beatrix.

At a performance of "Lucia," which ends, as every one knows, with one of
the finest triumphs of Rubini, Madame de Rochefide, whom Antoine had not
yet come to fetch, reached the peristyle of the opera-house by the lower
corridor just as the staircase was crowded by fashionable women ranged
on the stairs or standing in groups below it, awaiting the announcement
of their carriages. Beatrix was instantly recognized; whispers which
soon became a murmur arose in every group. In a moment the crowd
dispersed; the marquise was left alone like a leper. Calyste dared not,
seeing his wife on the staircase, advance to accompany her, though twice
she vainly cast him a tearful glance, a prayer, that he would come to
her. At that moment, La Palferine, elegant, superb, charming, left two
ladies with whom he had been talking, and came down to the marquise.

"Take my arm," he said, bowing, "and walk proudly out. I will find your
carriage."

"Will you come home with me and finish the evening?" she answered,
getting into her carriage and making room for him.

La Palferine said to his groom, "Follow the carriage of madame," and
then he jumped into it beside her to the utter stupefaction of Calyste,
who stood for a moment planted on his two legs as if they were lead. It
was the sight of him standing thus, pale and livid, that caused Beatrix
to make the sign to La Palferine to enter her carriage. Doves can be
Robespierres in spite of their white wings. Three carriages reached the
rue de Chartres with thundering rapidity,--that of Calyste, that of the
marquise, and that of La Palferine.

"Oh! you here?" said Beatrix, entering her salon on the arm of the young
count, and finding Calyste, whose horse had outstripped those of the
other carriages.

"Then you know monsieur?" said Calyste, furiously.

"Monsieur le Comte de la Palferine was presented to me ten days ago
by Nathan," she replied; "but you, monsieur, _you_ have known me four
years!--"

"And I am ready, madame," said Charles-Edouard, "to make the Marquise
d'Espard repent to her third generation for being the first to turn away
from you."

"Ah! it was _she_, was it?" cried Beatrix; "I will make her rue it."

"To revenge your