without any
effort. Are you staying here long?"

"No, sire. One scene of despair, and I depart."

"I should like to see you oftener."

"Why not? You are finally, and I for the time, respectable. Why not,
while my money lasts?"

"I have money of yours."

"You have more than money of mine."

He looked me in the face and held out his hand. I grasped it firmly.

"Are you making a fool of this Baroness?" I asked.

"Don't be afraid. She's making one of me. She is very happy and content.
I am born to make women happy."

I laughed again. He was whimsically resigned to his temperament, but the
mischief had not touched his brain. Then the Baroness' hold on him was
not like Coralie Mansoni's; he would fight no duel for her. He would
only make a fool of the greatest man in Forstadt. That feat was always
so easy to him.

"Well," he said, "I must return to my misery."

"And I to my happiness," said I. "But you'll come to Artenberg?"

"It's Princess Heinrich's house," he objected with a smile.

"For the time, yes. Then come to me at Forstadt."

"Yes; unless I have disappeared again."

He put his hand on the bows of my canoe and thrust me out into the
stream. Then he stood baring his head and crumpling up the soft hat in
his fist. I noticed now that his hair was gray all over his head. He
resumed his hat, put his hands in his pockets, and waited without
moving, till I turned my back to him. Having reached the opposite bank,
I looked round. He was there still. I waved my hand to him; he returned
the signal. Then we both began to climb the hill, I to Artenberg, he to
Waldenweiter; he to his misery, I to my happiness. And--which is better,
who knows? At any rate the Baroness was pleased.

I mounted through the woods slowly, although I had been detained longer
than I expected, and was already too late to greet Varvilliers on his
arrival. As I came near the terrace I heard the ring of merry voices.
The ladies and gentlemen of the household were all there, making a brave
and gay group. In the centre I saw my family and Elsa. Varvilliers
himself was standing by Princess Heinrich's side, talking fast and with
great animation. Bursts of glad laughter marked his points. There was
not a hint of care nor a touch of bitterness. Here was no laughing on a
theory, as Wetter called it, but a simple enjoyment, a whole-hearted
acceptance of the world's good hours. Were they not nearer truth? Were
they not, at least, nearer wisdom? A r