ed to
fill his mind with the same convincing force. He conceived doubts; he
accused himself at times on a veritable aberration; he charged the
baroness with cruel and guilty prejudices; he thought, in a word, that, at
all events, the wisest course was to avoid believing in the drama, and
giving it life by taking a serious part in it. Unfortunately Julia's
disposition, full of surprises and unforeseen whims, scarcely admitted of
any regular plan of conduct toward her.

One beautiful afternoon, the guests of the chateau accompanied by a few of
the neighbors, had gone on a horseback excursion to the extremity of Cape
La Hague. On the return home, and when they had come about half-way,
Julia, who had been remarkably quiet all day, left the principal group of
riders, and, casting aside to Monsieur de Lucan an expressive glance, she
urged her horse slightly forward. He overtook her almost immediately. She
cast upon him again an oblique glance, and abruptly, with her bitterest
and most incisive accent:

"Is my presence dangerous to you, sir?"

"How, dangerous?" he said, laughingly. "I do not understand you, my dear
madam."

"Why do you avoid me? What have I done to you? What means this new and
disagreeable manner which you affect toward me? It is really a very
strange thing that you should become less polite to me, as I am more so to
you. They persecute one for years to induce me to show you a pleasant
countenance, and when I try my best to do so, you pout. What does it mean?
What has got into your head? I should be infinitely curious to know."

"It is quite simple, and I am going to enlighten you in two words. It has
got into my head that after being not very amiable to me, you are now
almost too much so. I am sincerely touched and charmed at it; but I really
fear, sometimes, to turn too much to my own profit attentions to which I
am far from having the sole right. You know how fond I am of your husband.
There can be no question of jealousy in this case, of course; but a man's
love is proud and prompt to take umbrage. Without stooping to low and
otherwise impossible sentiments, Pierre, seeing himself somewhat
neglected, might feel offended and afflicted, at which we would both be
greatly grieved, would we not?"

"I do not know how to do anything half-way," she said with a gesture of
impatience. "How can I change my nature? It is with my own heart, and not
with that of another, that I love and that I hate; and then, why