uest, asking her what she thought of him. "He is a
fine man, but his compliments shews he has no taste. Tell me, is it the
custom for people of fashion to make a young girl blush the first time
they see her?"

"No, dear Armelline, it is neither customary nor polite; and anyone who
wishes to mix in good society would never do such a thing."

I lapsed into silence, as though I wanted to listen to the music; but as
a matter of fact my heart was a prey to cruel jealousy. I thought the
matter over, and came to the conclusion that the Florentine had treated
me rudely. He might have guessed that I was in love with Armelline, and
to make such an open declaration of love to my very face was nothing more
nor less than an insult to me.

After I had kept this unusual silence for a quarter of an hour the simple
Armelline made me worse by saying that I must calm myself, as I might be
sure that the young man's compliment had not given her the slightest
pleasure. She did not see that by saying this she made me feel that the
compliment had had the directly opposite effect.

I said that I had hoped he had pleased her.

To finish the matter up, she said by way of soothing me that the young
man did not mean to vex me, as he doubtless took me for her father.

What could I reply to this observation, as cruel as it was reasonable?
Nothing; I could only take refuge in silence and a fit of childish
ill-humour.

At last I could bear it no longer, and begged the two girls to come away
with me.

The second act was just over, and if I had been in my right senses I
should never have made them such an unreasonable request; but the
crassness of my proceedings did not strike me till the following day.

In spite of the strangeness of my request they merely exchanged glances
and got ready to go. Not knowing what better excuse to give I told them I
did not want the princess's carriage to be noticed as everyone left the
theatre, and that I would bring them again to the theatre the following
day.

I would not let Armelline put her head inside the Marchioness d'Aout's
box, and so we went out. I found the man who accompanied the carriage
talking to one of his mates at the door of the theatre, and this made me
think that the princess had come to the opera.

We got down at the inn, and I whispered to the man to take his horses
home and to call for us at three o'clock; for the cold was intense, and
both horses and men had to be considered.

We beg