uis," she said.
"Mamma knows it as well as yourself; for she was listening at the door."

"Cesarine!" exclaimed Mme. de Thaller.

"And, if she came in so suddenly, it is because she thought it was
fully time to cut short my confidences."

The face of the baroness became crimson.

"The child is mad!" she said.

The child burst out laughing.

"That's my way," she went on. "You should not have sent me here by
chance, and against my wish. You made me do it: don't complain.
You were sure that I had but to appear, and M. de Tregars would
fall at my feet. I appeared, and--you saw the effect through the
keyhole, didn't you?"

Her features contracted, her eyes flashing, twisting her lace
handkerchief between her fingers loaded with rings,

"It is unheard of," said Mme. de Thaller. "She has certainly lost
her head."

Dropping her mother an ironical courtesy,

"Thanks for the compliment!" said the young lady. "Unfortunately,
I never was more completely in possession of all the good sense I
may boast of than I am now, dear mamma. What were you telling me
a moment since? 'Run, the Marquis de Tregars is coming to ask
your hand: it's all settled.' And what did I answer? 'No use to
trouble myself: if, instead of one million, papa were to give me
two, four millions, indeed all the millions paid by France to
Prussia, M. de Tregars would not have me for a wife.'"

And, looking Marius straight in the face,

"Am I not right, M. le Marquis?" she asked. "And isn't it a fact
that you wouldn't have me at any price? Come, now, your hand upon
your heart, answer."

M. de Tregars' situation was somewhat embarrassing between these
two women, whose anger was equal, though it manifested itself in
a different way. Evidently it was a discussion begun before, which
was now continued in his presence.

"I think, mademoiselle," he began, "that you have been slandering
yourself gratuitously."

"Oh, no! I swear it to you," she replied; "and, if mamma had not
happened in, you would have heard much more. But that was not an
answer."

And, as M. de Tregars said nothing, she turned towards the baroness,

"Ah, ah! you see," she said. "Who was crazy,--you, or I? Ah!
you imagine here that money is everything, that every thing is for
sale, and that every thing can be bought. Well, no! There are
still men, who, for all the gold in the world, would not give their
name to Cesarine de Thaller. It is strange; but it is so, dear