artly; "my only
desire was to secure a good fortune for you, and another for myself.
I don't see, for my part, what women are made for, except to mar
everything a man wants to do for himself and for them!"

"Certainly everything should be done for us, brother; but I have no
defence to make for my sex, none! I dare say we women deserve all that
men think of us, but then it is impolite to tell us so to our faces.
Now, as I advised you, Renaud, I would counsel you to study gardening,
and you may one day arrive at as great distinction as the Marquis de
Vandriere--you may cultivate chou chou if you cannot raise a bride like
Amelie de Repentigny."

Angelique knew her brother's genius was not penetrating, or she
would scarcely have ventured this broad allusion to the brother of La
Pompadour, who, by virtue of his relationship to the Court favorite,
had recently been created Director of the Royal Gardens. What fancy was
working in the brain of Angelique when she alluded to him may be only
surmised.

The Chevalier was indignant, however, at an implied comparison between
himself and the plebeian Marquis de Vandriere. He replied, with some
heat,--

"The Marquis de Vandriere! How dare you mention him and me together!
There's not an officer's mess in the army that receives the son of
the fishmonger! Why do you mention him, Angelique? You are a perfect
riddle!"

"I only thought something might happen, brother, if I should ever go to
Paris! I was acting a charade in my fancy, and that was the solution of
it!"

"What was? You would drive the whole Sorbonne mad with your charades and
fancies! But I must leave you."

"Good-by, brother,--if you will go. Think of it!--if you want to rise
in the world you may yet become a royal gardener like the Marquis de
Vandriere!" Her silvery laugh rang out good-humoredly as he descended
the stairs and passed out of the house.

She sat down in her fauteuil. "Pity Renaud is such a fool!" said she;
"yet I am not sure but he is wiser in his folly than I with all my tact
and cleverness, which I suspect are going to make a greater fool of me
than ever he is!"

She leaned back in her chair in a deep thinking mood. "It is growing
dark," murmured she. "Le Gardeur will assuredly be here soon, in spite
of all the attractions of Belmont. How to deal with him when he comes is
more than I know: he will renew his suit, I am sure."

For a moment the heart of Angelique softened in her bosom. "Accept him