y eyes." So saying, the countess quitted Franz,
leaving him unable to decide whether she were merely amusing herself at
his expense, or whether her fears and agitations were genuine.

Upon his return to the hotel, Franz found Albert in his dressing-gown
and slippers, listlessly extended on a sofa, smoking a cigar. "My dear
fellow." cried he, springing up, "is it really you? Why, I did not
expect to see you before to-morrow."

"My dear Albert," replied Franz, "I am glad of this opportunity to
tell you, once and forever, that you entertain a most erroneous notion
concerning Italian women. I should have thought the continual failures
you have met with in all your own love affairs might have taught you
better by this time."

"Upon my soul, these women would puzzle the very Devil to read them
aright. Why, here--they give you their hand--they press yours in
return--they keep up a whispering conversation--permit you to accompany
them home. Why, if a Parisian were to indulge in a quarter of these
marks of flattering attention, her reputation would be gone forever."

"And the very reason why the women of this fine country put so little
restraint on their words and actions, is because they live so much
in public, and have really nothing to conceal. Besides, you must have
perceived that the countess was really alarmed."

"At what? At the sight of that respectable gentleman sitting opposite to
us in the same box with the lovely Greek girl? Now, for my part, I met
them in the lobby after the conclusion of the piece; and hang me, if
I can guess where you took your notions of the other world from. I
can assure you that this hobgoblin of yours is a deuced fine-looking
fellow--admirably dressed. Indeed, I feel quite sure, from the cut of
his clothes, they are made by a first-rate Paris tailor--probably
Blin or Humann. He was rather too pale, certainly; but then, you know,
paleness is always looked upon as a strong proof of aristocratic descent
and distinguished breeding." Franz smiled; for he well remembered that
Albert particularly prided himself on the entire absence of color in his
own complexion.

"Well, that tends to confirm my own ideas," said Franz, "that the
countess's suspicions were destitute alike of sense and reason. Did he
speak in your hearing? and did you catch any of his words?"

"I did; but they were uttered in the Romaic dialect. I knew that from
the mixture of Greek words. I don't know whether I ever told you t