hear my pretty story either,
though I had been reserving it for you. And, now I look at you, I can
but wonder that you, so celebrated for the taste and good style of your
dress, should have put that wretched thing on your head for a turban,
but which looks more like an old copper baking-dish spotted all over
with verdigris." So saying, the duke, as if charmed with his own wit,
burst into a loud and long peal of laughter.

"If, my lord," exclaimed the enraged lady, "you merely returned from the
East to resume your offensive jokes, which are tolerated because you are
supposed to be only half in your senses, all who know you are bound to
hope you intend to return as quickly as you came;" saying which she
arose, and majestically waddled away.

"I tell you what, Lady Macgregor, if I don't take devilish good care, I
shall let fly at that stupid old prude and pull her old stew-pan off her
head," said M. de Lucenay, thrusting his hands deep down into his
pockets as if to prevent their committing the retaliating mischief he
contemplated. "But no," said he, after a pause, "I won't hurt the
'sensitive soul,' poor innocent thing! Ha! ha! ha! Besides, think of her
being an orphan at her tender age!" And renewed peals of laughter
announced that the imagination of the duke had again found a fresh fund
of amusement in some reminiscence of Madame de Fonbonne; which, however,
soon gave place to an expression of surprise, as the figure of the
commandant, sauntering towards them, caught his eye.

"Holla!" cried he, "there's M. Charles Robert. I met him last summer at
the German baths; he is a deuced fine fellow,--sings like a swan. Now,
marquise, I'll show you some fun,--just see how I'll bother him. Would
you like me to introduce him to you?"

"Be quiet, if you can," said Sarah, turning her back most
unceremoniously upon M. de Lucenay, "and let us alone, I beg."

As M. Charles Robert, while affecting to be solely occupied in admiring
the rare plants on either side of him, continued to advance, M. de
Lucenay had cleverly contrived to get possession of Sarah's _flacon
d'esprit_, and was deeply and silently engaged in the interesting
employment of demolishing the stopper of the trinket.

Still M. Charles Robert kept on his gradual approach to the party he
was, in reality, making the object of his visit. His figure was tall and
finely proportioned; his features boasted the most faultless regularity;
his dress was in the first style of m