erate insult to us and you!" broke forth the
countess.

Madeleine's lips trembled with a half smile.

"I do not deem it an insult to myself: I am as thankful as Count
Damoreau can desire me to be; but I decline his well-intentioned
offer."

Count Tristan ground his teeth, and cast upon Madeleine a glance of fury
and menacing detestation. Their eyes met, and she returned the look with
an expression which simply declared she recognized what was passing in
his mind.

"You did right to decline: I should never have permitted you to accept,"
remarked the countess, in a somewhat softer tone.

She deemed it politic to conciliate Madeleine for the present, fearing
that she might be driven to take some humiliating step which would cast
a reflection upon her kindred.

"I regret that my son has acted hastily. If you conduct yourself with
the propriety which I have the right to demand, you will still find a
home in the Chateau de Gramont, and in myself the mother I have ever
been to you."

"Mother!" at that word Madeleine's glacial composure melted. "A
_mother!_--oh, my aunt, thank you for that word! You do not know how
much good it does me to hear it from your lips! But the Chateau de
Gramont can never more be my home. That is settled: I came to tell you
so."

"What do you mean?" asked the count, with a gleam of ill-disguised
satisfaction.

"I mean that I purpose shortly to quit this mansion, _never to return_!"

"Then you _do_ intend to accompany Lady Vivian to Scotland?" he
inquired.

"You--my niece--_a de Gramont_--become the humble companion of Lady
Vivian!" exclaimed the countess, in wrathful astonishment. "Can you even
contemplate such an alternative?"

"No, madame," returned Madeleine, with an emphasis which might have been
interpreted into a tone of pride. "I shall _not_ become the humble
companion of any lady."

"With whom do you expect to live?" demanded the count.

"I shall live alone."

"_Live alone_, at your age,--without fortune, without friends? It is
impracticable,--impossible!" replied her aunt, decisively.

"I have reached my majority. I shall try to deserve friends. I have some
small possession: the family diamonds of my mother still remain to me."

"But your noble name."

"Rest assured that it will never be disgraced by me!"

"I tell you that your project is impossible," maintained the countess,
resolutely. "I forbid you to even attempt to put it into execution. I
forbid you by the gra