confidence on
the country's future. There were signs already--he wore the rosiest
spectacles that morning--of a change of opinion, of a more moderate note.
The Nation began to perceive whither this lawyer rabble was leading it.
He pulled out "The Acts of the Apostles" and read a stinging paragraph.
Then, when mademoiselle at last made her appearance, he resigned the
journal into the hands of M. de Kercadiou.

M. de Kercadiou, with his niece's future to consider, went to read the
paper in the garden, taking up there a position whence he could keep the
couple within sight--as his obligations seemed to demand of him--whilst
being discreetly out of earshot.

The Marquis made the most of an opportunity that might be brief. He
quite frankly declared himself, and begged, implored to be taken back
into Aline's good graces, to be admitted at least to the hope that one
day before very long she would bring herself to consider him in a nearer
relationship.

"Mademoiselle," he told her, his voice vibrating with a feeling that
admitted of no doubt, "you cannot lack conviction of my utter sincerity.
The very constancy of my devotion should afford you this. It is just
that I should have been banished from you, since I showed myself so
utterly unworthy of the great honour to which I aspired. But this
banishment has nowise diminished my devotion. If you could conceive what
I have suffered, you would agree that I have fully expiated my abject
fault."

She looked at him with a curious, gentle wistfulness on her lovely face.

"Monsieur, it is not you whom I doubt. It is myself."

"You mean your feelings towards me?"

"Yes."

"But that I can understand. After what has happened..."

"It was always so, monsieur," she interrupted quietly. "You speak of me
as if lost to you by your own action. That is to say too much. Let me be
frank with you. Monsieur, I was never yours to lose. I am conscious of
the honour that you do me. I esteem you very deeply..."

"But, then," he cried, on a high note of confidence, "from such a
beginning..."

"Who shall assure me that it is a beginning? May it not be the whole?
Had I held you in affection, monsieur, I should have sent for you
after the affair of which you have spoken. I should at least not have
condemned you without hearing your explanation. As it was..." She
shrugged, smiling gently, sadly. "You see..."

But his optimism far from being crushed was stimulated. "But it is to
give me hope, m