would tell me so, though I
can not bear to be told of my faults--and so I love you"--and then she
laughed, as I did, at her own peculiar logic.

Regnard Cheverny by no means allowed his brother a monopoly of
Mademoiselle Capello's company, but duly appeared, after a few days. I
watched Francezka's behavior to him and came to the conclusion that in
spite of the entertainment she derived from his company, she liked him
no better than she had two years and a half before. I happened to
speak to her one day of the resemblance between the two brothers,
which was so marked.

"How can you think that?" she replied. "I never mistake one for the
other. One is charming--the other is not."

That very evening, the two Chevernys and myself being at the chateau,
we sat down to cards with Francezka and Madame Riano. It was stormy
outside, and a sudden gust of wind coming, all the lights were in an
instant blown out. While we sat in the dark, waiting for the servants
to come and relight the candles, Regnard Cheverny spoke, and his voice
being so much like his brother's, Francezka answered him for Gaston,
and they talked together, much to our diversion. Francezka did not
find out her mistake until the candles were again alight, and then,
instead of laughing, was strangely vexed and offended at the
pleasantry played upon her.

Regnard Cheverny, as well as Gaston, was fond of books, and on that
ground he could hold his own with Francezka. She had all of the new
books sent her from Paris, Brussels and the Hague, including Monsieur
Voltaire's, much to Madame Riano's horror. Likewise, she diligently
studied the harpsichord, having masters from Brussels to instruct her.
She loved to be praised for her good management of her affairs, but I
was inclined to think that old Peter, whose gray, humble head was full
of sound sense for other people's affairs, deserved more credit for
this than he got. One morning, meeting him as I walked through the
park, I remarked upon the beauty and order of the estate and
congratulated him on having so capable a mistress to serve.

"Truly," he said, "mademoiselle has a good understanding of affairs,
but, in confidence, Captain Babache, she makes her mistakes. I tell
her a certain man is lazy, is not doing his work; that I have given
him a fair trial, have warned him, and yet he will not work, so I have
discharged him. The rascal waylays mademoiselle in the park; tells her
a pitiful tale about a wife and seven