.

"_Et puis?--Et puis_?" asked Adele, laughing.

"_Et puis_, nothing at all," I answered.

"No secrets among friends, Valerie," said Adele, looking me earnestly in
the face; "I had none with you, and you helped me with your advice. Be
as frank, at least, with me, if you love me."

"I do love you dearly, Adele; and I have no secrets. There is nothing
concerning which to have a secret."

"Nothing?--not this gay and gallant Count?"

"Not even he."

"And you are not about to become Madame la Comtesse?"

"I am not, indeed."

"Indeed--in very deed?"

"In very--very deed."

"Well, I do not understand it. By what Jervis told me, I presumed it
was a settled thing."

"The Colonel was mistaken. There is nothing settled or unsettled."

"And do you, really, not like him?"

"I really _do_ like him, Adele, as a very pleasant companion for an hour
or two, and as a very perfect gentleman."

"Yes, he told me all that. But, if you like him so well, why not like
him better? Why not love him?"

"I will be plain and true with you, Adele. I do not choose to consider
at all, whether I could or could _not_, love him. He has never asked
me, has never spoken of love to me; and putting it out of the question
that it is unmaidenly to love unasked, I am sure it is unwise."

"I understand, I understand. But he _will_ ask you, that is certain;
and, when he does ask, what shall you say?"

"It will be time enough to consider when that time shall come."

"Another way of saying, `I shall say _yes_!' But come, Valerie, you
must promise me that if you need my assistance, you will call upon me
for it. You _know_ that anything I can do for you will be done without
a thought but how I best may serve you; and Jervis will do likewise,
since he, as I do, considers that under Heaven, we owe our happiness to
you."

"I promise it."

"Enough; I will ask no more. Now come up to my room, and I will give
you Madame d'Albret's letters, and some pretty presents she has sent
you. Do you know, Valerie, nothing could exceed her kindness to us. I
believe she repents bitterly her unkindness to you. I cannot repeat the
terms of praise and admiration which she applied to you."

"And do you know, Adele, that it was her infamous and miserable husband,
Monsieur G--, whom the Count horsewhipped this very day, for insulting
me?"

"Indeed? was it indeed? That man's enmity to you will never cease, so
long as he has life. No, Jervis did n