arly so bold as I pretend, and I don't mean a word of
it. I am simply telling you how much I like him; besides, he is
old enough to be my grandfather. Do you know why I like him?"

"No, cherie. Why?"

"Because when Mme. de Lanaudiere, Mme. de Beaubassin, and others,
were being good to me by patting me on the head and bidding me
behave like a nice little girl, as it were, M. de Maxwell treated
me as if I were the greatest lady in the room. He would leave the
best dressed among them all to cross the floor openly and speak
with me, and because he did so others followed, and I am in request.
He is only 'Chevalier,' you know; but he could not have more weight
here were he Duke or Prince."

"And he is proud of the distinction, I suppose?"

"Perhaps so, but he does not shew it; but all this is nothing to
his singing."

"Tell me of that."

"Only the other night, at Mme. de Lanaudiere's, he sang so that
even the players stopped in their game to listen. I know nothing
of music, but I could have cried before he ended; and when he had
sung again, as every one wished, Mme. de Lanaudiere cried, before
us all; 'Chevalier, you must not sing again or we cannot call our
hearts our own!' And every one laughed and clapped their hands.
That is what I call a triumph!"

"Yes, Angelique, I know. One of the dearest things I can remember
is a loved voice singing."

Only those who have known the hunger of the heart can realise the
sweet comfort these innocent words brought to me. They pictured
the Hugh I had carried all these years in my heart. How readily I
could conceive the gentle consideration and the charm which won
the gratitude of this simple girl as they had won my own!

As we settled down to our regular life, Angelique's one distress
was that I would not go with her into the society she so dearly
loved. She could not understand my refusal, and even her mother
thought it would be well that I should shew myself, if merely to
establish my position and put an end to the annoying questionings
which began to circulate concerning my station and intentions.
But on this point I was firm, and the only concession I would make
was to send a note to M. de Montcalm, begging he would pay me the
honour of a visit.

He came on the morrow, and his respect and courtesy towards me went
far to establish my position in the eyes of Mme. de Sarennes, for
he treated me with all the consideration one would shew towards an
equal.

He informed me t