t she had plenty of common sense, and I breathed
again.

"You are right, fair Scholastics," I said, "I do love Armelline, but she
does not love me, and refuses to make me happy on one pretence or
another."

With these words I left the room, and after shutting the door behind me
proceeded to make up a fire in the second apartment.

In a quarter of an hour Armelline knocked at the door, and begged me to
open it. She was in her breeches, and said they needed my assistance as
their shoes were so small they could not get them on.

I was in rather a sulky humour, so she threw her arms round my neck and
covered my face with kisses which soon restored me to myself.

While I was explaining the reason of my ill temper, and kissing whatever
I could see, Scholastica burst out laughing.

"I was sure that I was in the way," said she; "and if you do not trust
me, I warn you that I will not go with you to the opera to-morrow."

"Well, then, embrace him," said Armelline.

"With all my heart."

I did not much care for Armelline's generosity, but I embraced
Scholastica as warmly as she deserved. Indeed I would have done so if she
had been less pretty, for such kindly consideration deserved a reward. I
even kissed her more ardently than I need have done, with the idea of
punishing Armelline, but I made a mistake. She was delighted, and kissed
her friend affectionately as if in gratitude.

I made them sit down, and tried to pull on their shoes, but I soon found
that they were much too small, and that we must get some more.

I called the waiter who attended to us, and told him to go and fetch a
bootmaker with an assortment of shoes.

In the meanwhile I would not be contented with merely kissing Armelline.
She neither dared to grant nor to refuse; and as if to relieve herself of
any responsibility, made Scholastica submit to all the caresses I
lavished on her. The latter seconded my efforts with an ardour that would
have pleased me exceedingly if I had been in love with her.

She was exceedingly beautiful, and her features were as perfectly
chiselled as Armelline's, but Armelline was possessed of a delicate and
subtle charm of feature peculiar to herself.

I liked the amusement well enough, but there was a drop of bitterness in
all my enjoyment. I thought it was plain that Armelline did not love me,
and that Scholastica only encouraged me to encourage her friend.

At last I came to the conclusion that I should do well to atta