me to come.

Diana drew a long breath of relief, for it seemed to her as if all the
threatening clouds, which had darkened the horizon, were fast breaking
up and drifting away. Her future seemed clear, and she could continue
the preparations for her marriage, which was to be celebrated in a
fortnight's time; and the friend of Octave who had been asked to act as
his best man had answered in the affirmative.

Diana had taken accurate measurement of the love that Octave lavished
upon her, and did her utmost to increase it. She had another cruel idea,
and that was that the bewitching manner which she had assumed towards
her betrothed was excellent practice, and by it she might judge of her
future success in society when she resided in Paris. Octave was utterly
conquered, as any other man would have been under similar circumstances.

Upon the day of her wedding she was dazzling in her beauty, and her face
was radiant with happiness; but it was a mere mask, which she had put on
to conceal her real feelings. She knew that many curious eyes were fixed
on her as she left the chapel; and the crowd formed a line for her to
pass through. She saw many a glance of dislike cast upon her; but a more
severe blow awaited her, for on her arrival at the Chateau de Mussidan,
to which she was driven directly after the ceremony, the first person
she met was Montlouis, who came forward to welcome her. Bold and
self-possessed as she was, the slight of this man startled her, and a
bright flush passed across her face. Fortunately Montlouis had had time
to prepare himself for this meeting, and his face showed no token
of recognition. But though his salutation was of the most respectful
description, Madame de Mussidan thought she saw in his eyes that
ironical expression of contempt which she had more than once seen in
Daumon's face.

"That man must not, shall not, stay here," she murmured to herself.

It was easy enough for her to ask her husband to dismiss Montlouis from
his employ, but it was a dangerous step to take; and her easiest course
was to defer the dismissal of the secretary until some really good
pretext offered itself. Nor was this pretext long in presenting itself;
for Octave was by no means satisfied with the young man's conduct.
Montlouis who had been full of zeal while in Paris, had renewed his
_liaison_, on his return to Mussidan, with the girl with whom he had
been formerly entangled at Poitiers. This, of course, could not be