es Madame prefer De Guiche to you?"

"I shall say no more," said the chevalier, saluting the prince
ceremoniously.

"On the contrary, I require you to speak. If you withdraw on that
account, you must indeed be very jealous."

"One cannot help being jealous, monseigneur, when one loves. Is not your
royal highness jealous of Madame? Would you not, if you saw some one
always near Madame, and always treated with great favor, take umbrage
at it? One's friends are as one's lovers. Your highness has sometimes
conferred the distinguished honor upon me of calling me your friend."

"Yes, yes,; but you used a phrase which has a very equivocal
significance; you are unfortunate in your phrases."

"What phrase, monseigneur?"

"You said, 'treated with great favor.' What do you mean by favor?"

"Nothing can be more simple," said the chevalier, with an expression of
great frankness; "for instance, whenever a husband remarks that his wife
summons such and such a man near her; whenever this man is always to
be found by her side, or in attendance at the door of her carriage;
whenever the bouquet of the one is always the same color as the
ribbons of the other; when music and supper parties are held in private
apartments; whenever a dead silence takes place immediately the husband
makes his appearance in his wife's rooms; and when the husband suddenly
finds that he has, as a companion, the most devoted and the kindest
of men, who, a week before, was with him as little as possible; why,
then--"

"Well, finish."

"Why, then, I say, monseigneur, one possibly may get jealous. But all
these details hardly apply; for our conversation had nothing to do with
them."

The duke was evidently very much agitated, and seemed to struggle with
himself a good deal. "You have not told me," he then remarked, "why you
absented yourself. A little while ago you said it was from a fear of
intruding; you added, even, that you had observed a disposition on
Madame's part to encourage De Guiche."

"Pardon me, monseigneur, I did not say that."

"You did, indeed."

"Well, if I did say so, I observed nothing but what was very
inoffensive."

"At all events, you remarked something."

"You embarrass me, monseigneur."

"What does that matter? Answer me. If you speak the truth, why should
you feel embarrassed?"

"I always speak the truth, monseigneur; but I also always hesitate when
it is a question of repeating what others say."

"Ah! repeat? It appe