angry surprise, that
Sabine turned upon him at once.

"Yes, sir," answered she, "to another; one utterly unknown to my
parents, yet one who is inexpressibly dear to me. This ought not to
irritate you, for I gave him my love long before I met you. Besides, you
have every advantage over him. He is at the foot, while you are at the
summit, of the social ladder. You are of aristocratic lineage,--he is
one of the people. You have a noble name,--he does not even know his
own. Your wealth is enormous,--while he works hard for his daily bread.
He has all the fire of genius, but the cruel cares of life drag and
fetter him to the earth. He carries on a workman's trade to supply funds
to study his beloved art."

Incautiously, Sabine had chosen the very means to wound this noble
gentleman most cruelly, for her whole beauty blazed out as, inflamed by
her passion, she spoke so eloquently of Andre and drew such a parallel
between the two young men.

"Now, sir," said she, "do you comprehend me? I know the terrible social
abyss which divides me from the man I love, and the future may hold in
store some terrible punishment for my fidelity to him, but no one shall
ever hear a word of complaint from my lips, for----" she hesitated, and
then uttered these simple words--"for I love him."

M. de Breulh listened with an outwardly impassible face, but the venomed
tooth of jealousy was gnawing at his heart. He had not told Sabine the
entire truth, for he had studied her for a long time, and his love had
grown firm and strong. Without an unkind thought the girl had shattered
the edifice which he had built up with such care and pain. He would have
given his name, rank, and title to have been in this unknown lover's
place, who, though he worked for his bread, and had no grand ancestral
name, was yet so fondly loved. Many a man in his position would have
shrugged his shoulders and coldly sneered at the words, "I love him,"
but he did not, for his nature was sufficiently noble to sympathize
with hers. He admired her courage and frankness, which disdaining all
subterfuges, went straight and unhesitatingly to the point she desired
to reach. She might be imprudent and reckless, but in his eyes these
seemed hardly to be faults, for it is seldom that convent-bred young
ladies err in this way.

"But this man," said he, after a long pause,--"how do you manage ever to
see him?

"I meet him out walking," replied she, "and I sometimes go to his
studio