their ingenuousness, take the most ingenuous but least
permitted of positions."

"Noce told me that all was proper."

"Do you know the house, monseigneur?"

"Do I look at such things?"

"Ah! no; your sight is not good, I remember."

"Dubois!"

"For furniture your daughter will have strange couches, magic sofas; and
as to books, ah! that is the climax. Noce's books are good for the
instruction and formation of youth; they would do well to go with the
breviary of Bussy-Rabutin, of which I presented you a copy on your
twelfth birthday."

"Yes; serpent that you are."

"In short, the most austere prudery prevails over the dwelling. I had
chosen it for the education of the son; but monseigneur, who looks at
things differently, chose it for the daughter."

"Ah, ca! Dubois," said the regent, "you weary me."

"I am just at the end, monseigneur. No doubt your daughter was well
pleased with the residence; for, like all of your blood, she is very
intelligent."

The regent shuddered, and guessed that some disagreeable news was hidden
under the long preamble and mocking smile of Dubois.

"However, monseigneur, see what the spirit of contradiction will do; she
was not content with the dwelling you chose for her, and she is moving."

"What do you mean?"

"I am wrong--she _has_ moved."

"My daughter gone!" cried the regent.

"Exactly," said Dubois.

"How?"

"Through the door. Oh, she is not one of those young ladies who go
through the windows, or by night--oh, she is of your blood, monseigneur;
if I had ever doubted it, I should be convinced now."

"And Madame Desroches?"

"She is at the Palais Royal, I have just left her; she came to announce
it to your highness."

"Could she not prevent it?"

"Mademoiselle commanded."

"She should have made the servants close the doors: they did not know
that she was my daughter, and had no reason to obey her."

"Madame Desroches was afraid of mademoiselle's anger, but the servants
were afraid of the sword."

"Of the sword! are you drunk, Dubois?"

"Oh, I am very likely to get drunk on chicory water! No, monseigneur; if
I am drunk, it is with admiration of your highness's perspicacity when
you try to conduct an affair all alone."

"But what sword do you mean?"

"The sword which Mademoiselle Helene disposes of, and which belongs to a
charming young man--"

"Dubois!"

"Who loves her!"

"Dubois! you will drive me mad."

"And who followed her from Nantes to R