gentle,
sad, and resigned smile! How much this return to me must have cost! Poor
love! how lovely and affecting she seemed at that moment! For the first
time I felt a fierce remorse, for, up to that moment, her haughty
coldness had sufficiently avenged her. Oh, wretch!--wretch that I am!"

* * * * *

After a long and sleepless night, spent in bitter reflections, the
agitation of M. d'Harville ceased, as if by enchantment. He had come to
an unalterable resolution. He awaited daybreak with excessive
impatience.

* * * * *

Early in the morning he rang for his _valet de chambre_.

When old Joseph entered his master's room, to his great surprise he
heard him hum a hunting song,--a sign, as rare as certain, that M.
d'Harville was in good humour.

"Ah, M. le Marquis," said the faithful old servant, quite affected,
"what a charming voice you have! What a pity that you do not sing more
frequently!"

"Really, Joseph, have I a charming voice?" said M. d'Harville, smiling.

"If M. le Marquis had a voice as hoarse as a night raven or as harsh as
a rattle, I should still think he had a charming voice."

"Be silent, you flatterer!"

"Why, when you sing, M. le Marquis, it is a sign you are happy, and then
your voice sounds to me the most beautiful music in the world."

"In that case, Joseph, my old friend, prepare to open your long ears."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"You may enjoy every day the music which you call charming, and of which
you seem so fond."

"What! You will be happy every day, M. le Marquis?" exclaimed Joseph,
clasping his hands with extreme delight.

"Every day, my old Joseph, happy every day. Yes, no more sorrow,--no
more sadness. I can tell you, the only and discreet confidant of my
troubles, that I am at the height of happiness. My wife is an angel of
goodness, and has asked my forgiveness for her past estrangement,
attributing it (can you imagine?) to jealousy."

"To jealousy?"

"Yes, absurd suspicions, excited by anonymous letters."

"How shameful!"

"You understand? Women have so much self-love,--a little more and we
should have been separated; but, fortunately, last evening she explained
all frankly to me, and I disabused her mind. To tell you her extreme
delight would be impossible, for she loves me,--oh, yes, she loves me!
The coldness she evinced towards me lay as cruelly on herself as on me,
and now, at length, our distre