riosity,--do not imagine _that!_--I am
not in the least curious; but because I want to assist Madeleine. I want
to judge whether nothing can be done to bring about her union with him."

"Nothing,--I fear, nothing," replied M. de Bois, sadly.

"Then you _do_ know who he is? There, you have admitted that you did!"

"Are you laying snares for me, then, sweet Bertha? But I shall not let
you exult over my falling into one of these well-laid traps. I only said
I feared nothing could be done to bring about Mademoiselle Madeleine's
union with any one."

"But you know whom she loves?"

"She has never told me."

"But you at least _suspect_?"

"What right have I to _suspect_? And you know I am _dull_,--I did not
even suspect _whom_ her cousin Bertha loved."

Bertha hung her head for a moment, but quickly returned to the attack.

"Tell me, at least, whom you think Madeleine _prefers_."

"I have no right to do that,--it would not be fair to Mademoiselle
Madeleine,--she would never forgive me!"

"Ah, then you and I may have secrets from each other? That is the
inference I shall draw if you refuse," said Bertha, provokingly.

This was a most distasteful suggestion to Gaston, who had a masculine
touch of jealousy in his composition,--just enough to make him desire to
monopolize Bertha _entirely_. He was not willing that she should have a
thought which she could not communicate to him; to hide anything from
him was to rob him! Was his an exceptional case, or are men in general
as _exigeant_?

"Well, you do not answer?" Bertha observed.

"I should be grieved if I had not your _whole_ confidence, now and
ever," he replied.

"So shall I be if I have not yours. Should one exact more than one is
willing to give? Tell me who it is that you suspect Madeleine of loving.
Tell me at once!"

"I cannot,--I have no right!"

"I think you have no right to withhold the knowledge from me."

"I think so too," answered Gaston, sorely perplexed; "and yet I must not
tell you! Will you not be generous enough to pity me, and ask me no
more?"

Bertha only pouted at this appeal; but Gaston must have found some means
of soothing her, for, by and by, she said, coquettishly,--

"Of course, I only wanted to know on Madeleine's account and on yours."

"_Mine?_" exclaimed Gaston.

"Yes, _yours_; because if I had discovered who this lover was, I might
have given him some valuable hints, and all might come right very
quickly; as it is, you m