o--Madame--the other," he replied with some degree of hesitation.

I followed him without further questioning. He led the way, which was
doubtless a familiar one, and the maid at the door, knowing him,
admitted us at once to Madame's apartment. The woman, who sat alone in
the dainty silk-hung boudoir, rose and came swiftly forward to greet
Jerome, the radiant girlish smile changing quickly when she perceived
me enter behind him. It was more the grande dame, and less the
delighted woman, who acknowledged my presentation with courtly grace.
Intuitively I felt her unvoiced inquiry of Jerome why he had not come
alone. Yet was she thoroughly polite, and chatted pleasantly with us
concerning the news of the day.

"We are to have a fete this afternoon; you must both come. Each guest
is expected to contribute in some way to the entertainment of the
company. You Jerome--M. de Greville," she begged pardon with a sudden
glance at me, "You, M. de Greville, will doubtless favor us with a
well-turned madrigal. And you, my dear Captain de Mouret, in which
direction do your talents lie?"

"I have no talents, Madame; a plain blunt man of the camp."

"Ah! a soldier; so interesting in these stupid times, when men are
little but women differently dressed. Ah, it has been too truly said
that 'when men were created, some of the mud which remained served to
fashion the souls of princes and lackeys.' But surely you could give
us a story?" and so she talked on, not discourteous, but heedless of my
protests. I was really alarmed, lest she seriously call upon me before
that stately company.

The tiny clock upon her table chimed the third quarter, and she
volunteered that at eleven she expected other callers. Acting upon
this hint Jerome proceeded at once to tell her why we came, yet I noted
in all his confidences he ever kept something to himself for safety's
sake. The maid's reappearance interrupted us. She announced, "M. de
Valence."

A gleam of anger swept across Madame's face.

"Bid him wait my pleasure in the ante-room. He is ten minutes early.
No, the sooner he comes the sooner it is over; wait; bid him come in.
M. le Captain, de Greville, will you gentlemen please to retire in that
small room for a short space? I will speedily be free again."

And so it came about we overheard matters which opened my mind to the
way affairs of state are managed, and I grew to learn upon what slender
threads of love, of malice, of je