and the other
aspirants to Adele's hand, began to scowl angrily at the young
Englishman whenever they met him.

Upon the other hand, among the ladies Rupert was a general
favourite, but he puzzled them altogether. He was ready to chat, to
pay compliments, to act as chevalier to any lady, but his
compliments never passed beyond the boundary of mere courtly
expression; and in a court where it appeared to be almost the duty
of everyone to be in love, Rupert Holliday did not seem to know
what love meant.

The oddness of this dashing-looking young officer--who was, the
Marquis de Pignerolles assured everyone, a very gallant soldier,
and who had killed in a duel the finest swordsman in the German
army--being perfectly proof to all blandishments, and ready to
treat every woman with equal courtesy and attention, was a mystery
to the ladies of the court of Versailles; and Rupert was regarded
as a most novel and amusing specimen of English coldness and
impenetrability.

Rupert himself was absolutely ignorant of the opinion with which
men and women alike regarded him. He dreamt not that it was only
the character which so high an authority as the Marquis de
Pignerolles had given him as a swordsman of extraordinary skill,
that prevented the Duc de Carolan and some of Adele's other
admirers from forcing a quarrel upon him. Still less did he imagine
that the ladies of the court considered it in the highest degree
singular that he did not fall in love with any of them. He went his
way, laughed, talked, was pleasant with everyone, and enjoyed his
life, especially his morning visits to Madame de Soissons.

The first intimation that was given of the jealousy with which the
Duc de Carolan and others regarded Rupert, was a brief order that
the Marquis de Pignerolles received from the king to retire with
his prisoner to Paris; an intimation being given that although the
marquis would as heretofore be received at court, yet that Rupert
was not to leave the circuit of the walls of Paris. The marquis,
who had foreseen the gathering storm in a hundred petty symptoms,
was not surprised at the order. He knew the jealousy with which the
king regarded any person who appeared even remotely likely to
interfere with any plans that he had formed, and was sure that a
mere hint from some favourite as to the possibility of Rupert's
intimacy at Madame de Soissons proving an obstacle to the carrying
out of his wishes with regard to the disposal of Ad