d. The
bend of her waist overcame him with physical weakness. This was the
girl-wife who had lain in his arms and whom he had sworn to cherish;
there was she, who was better than success.

It was Seraphina who restored him from the blow. She swam forward and
smiled upon her husband with a sweetness that was insultingly artificial.
'Frederic,' she lisped, 'you are late.' It was a scene of high comedy,
such as is proper to unhappy marriages; and her _aplomb_ disgusted him.

There was no etiquette at these small drawing-rooms. People came and
went at pleasure. The window embrasures became the roost of happy
couples; at the great chimney the talkers mostly congregated, each
full-charged with scandal; and down at the farther end the gamblers
gambled. It was towards this point that Otto moved, not ostentatiously,
but with a gentle insistence, and scattering attentions as he went. Once
abreast of the card-table, he placed himself opposite to Madame von
Rosen, and, as soon as he had caught her eye, withdrew to the embrasure
of a window. There she had speedily joined him.

'You did well to call me,' she said, a little wildly. 'These cards will
be my ruin.'

'Leave them,' said Otto.

'I!' she cried, and laughed; 'they are my destiny. My only chance was to
die of a consumption; now I must die in a garret.'

'You are bitter to-night,' said Otto.

'I have been losing,' she replied. 'You do not know what greed is.'

'I have come, then, in an evil hour,' said he.

'Ah, you wish a favour!' she cried, brightening beautifully.

'Madam,' said he, 'I am about to found my party, and I come to you for a
recruit.'

'Done,' said the Countess. 'I am a man again.'

'I may be wrong,' continued Otto, 'but I believe upon my heart you wish
me no ill.'

'I wish you so well,' she said, 'that I dare not tell it you.'

'Then if I ask my favour?' quoth the Prince.

'Ask it, _mon Prince_,' she answered. 'Whatever it is, it is granted.'

'I wish you,' he returned, 'this very night to make the farmer of our
talk.'

'Heaven knows your meaning!' she exclaimed. 'I know not, neither care;
there are no bounds to my desire to please you. Call him made.'

'I will put it in another way,' returned Otto. 'Did you ever steal?'

'Often!' cried the Countess. 'I have broken all the ten commandments;
and if there were more to-morrow, I should not sleep till I had broken
these.'

'This is a case of burglary: to say the truth, I th