replied the marchioness, triumphantly. "Any one
would recognize it in a moment, as coming from the hands of
Mademoiselle Melanie. Though she has such wonderful creative fertility,
her style is unmistakable. There was never mantua-maker like her!"

"_A mantua-maker! a mantua-maker!_" exclaimed the countess and her son
at once, in accents of disgust and indignation.

"Ah, I see you do not like to apply that epithet to her, and you are
right. She should not be designated as a mantua-maker, but a great
artist,--a true artist,--a fairy, who, with one touch of her wand, can
metamorphose and beautify and amaze!"

At that moment, a servant announced that the Countess Orlowski waited in
her carriage, and desired him to say that she feared she was late.

"You will excuse me then?" murmured the marchioness. "I must hasten to
execute my mission for Mademoiselle Melanie, since it was she who so
warmly solicited me to undertake this delicate little transaction, and I
would not disappoint her for the world. Pray, do not forget to-morrow
evening. _Au revoir._"

She floated out of the room, leaving the countess and her son speechless
with rage and indignation.

Bertha and Maurice stood looking at each other, and then at M. de Bois,
the only one who expressed no surprise, but seemed rather more gratified
than moved when he beheld the countess sink back in her chair, and apply
her bottle of sal volatile to her nose. The shock to her pride had been
so terrible, that she appeared to be in danger of fainting.

CHAPTER XXIII.

NOBLE HANDS MADE NOBLER.

After the Marchioness de Fleury had departed, leaving her astonished
guests in her drawing-room, M. de Bois was the first to break the
silence.

"And you, Mademoiselle Bertha, are you also horrified at this
rev--ev--evelation?" he asked.

"I?" answered Bertha, making an effort to collect herself. "No, I can
never be horrified by any act of Madeleine's, for she could never be
guilty of an action that was unworthy. I am only so much astonished that
I feel stunned and confused, just as Maurice does; see, how bewildered
he looks!"

The countess had now recovered her voice, and said, in a tone trembling
with indignation, "It is _infamous_!"

"A degradation we could never have anticipated!" rejoined Count Tristan.

"She has disgraced her family,--disgraced our proud name forever!"
responded the countess.

"Do not say that, aunt!" pleaded Bertha. "She has not even used your