e la Marquise, without counting the pleasure that
you yourself will experience. It is as I had the honour of saying the
other day, there is not in the world any person whose existence can be
more delightful than that of M. le Marquis."

"My dear M. Doublet," said M. d'Harville, with a smile, "your
congratulations are always so peculiarly apropos."

"That is their only merit, M. le Marquis; and they possess that merit,
perhaps, because they proceed from the heart. I will run to the
jeweller."

As soon as he was alone, M. d'Harville began to pace up and down his
cabinet, with his arms folded, and his eye fixed and meditative. His
features suddenly changed, and no longer expressed that somewhat
feverish contentment of which the steward and his old servant had been
the dupes, but assumed a calm, sad, and chilling resolution. Afterwards,
having paced up and down for a short time, he sunk into a chair heavily,
and, as though weighed down with sorrow, placed his elbows on his desk,
and hid his face in his hands. After a moment he rose suddenly, wiped a
tear which moistened his red eyelid, and said with effort:

"Come, come! Courage, courage!"

He then wrote to several persons on very trifling matters, and postponed
various meetings for some days. The marquis had concluded this
correspondence when Joseph again entered, so gay, and so forgetful of
himself, as to hum a tune in his turn.

"M. Joseph, what a charming voice you have!" said his master, jestingly.

"_Ma foi!_ so much the worse, M. le Marquis, for I don't care about it.
I am singing so merrily within, that my music must be heard without."

"Send these letters to the post."

"Yes, M. le Marquis; but where will you receive the gentlemen who are
expected this morning?"

"Here, in my cabinet; they will smoke after breakfast, and then the
smell of the tobacco will not reach Madame d'Harville."

At this moment the noise of carriage wheels was heard in the courtyard
of the hotel.

"It is Madame la Marquise going out; she ordered her carriage very early
this morning," said Joseph.

"Run and request her to be so kind and come here before she goes out."

"Yes, M. le Marquis."

The domestic had scarcely left the room when M. d'Harville approached a
mirror, and looked at himself attentively.

"Well, well," said he, in a hoarse voice, "it is there,--the flushed
cheeks--the bright look--joy or fever, it is little consequence which,
so that they are deceived; now,