n of the Duchess and those
repeated graceful movements of hers.

"Ah! you were punctual," she said; "that is right. I like punctuality.
It is the courtesy of kings, His Majesty says; but to my thinking, from
you men it is the most respectful flattery of all. Now, is it not? Just
tell me."

Again she gave him a side glance to express her insidious friendship,
for he was dumb with happiness sheer happiness through such nothings
as these! Oh, the Duchess understood _son metier de femme_--the art
and mystery of being a woman--most marvelously well; she knew, to
admiration, how to raise a man in his own esteem as he humbled himself
to her; how to reward every step of the descent to sentimental folly
with hollow flatteries.

"You will never forget to come at nine o'clock."

"No; but are you going to a ball every night?"

"Do I know?" she answered, with a little childlike shrug of the
shoulders; the gesture was meant to say that she was nothing if not
capricious, and that a lover must take her as she was.--"Besides," she
added, "what is that to you? You shall be my escort."

"That would be difficult tonight," he objected; "I am not properly
dressed."

"It seems to me," she returned loftily, "that if anyone has a right
to complain of your costume, it is I. Know, therefore, _monsieur le
voyageur_, that if I accept a man's arm, he is forthwith above the laws
of fashion, nobody would venture to criticise him. You do not know the
world, I see; I like you the better for it."

And even as she spoke she swept him into the pettiness of that world by
the attempt to initiate him into the vanities of a woman of fashion.

"If she chooses to do a foolish thing for me, I should be a simpleton to
prevent her," said Armand to himself. "She has a liking for me beyond a
doubt; and as for the world, she cannot despise it more than I do. So,
now for the ball if she likes."

The Duchess probably thought that if the General came with her and
appeared in a ballroom in boots and a black tie, nobody would hesitate
to believe that he was violently in love with her. And the General was
well pleased that the queen of fashion should think of compromising
herself for him; hope gave him wit. He had gained confidence, he brought
out his thoughts and views; he felt nothing of the restraint that
weighed on his spirits yesterday. His talk was interesting and animated,
and full of those first confidences so sweet to make and to receive.

Was Mme de