his taste for luxury. His love
for horses grew more and more. He gave orders to have a model stud-house
erected in the park amid the splendid meadows watered by the Oise; and
bought stallions and breeding mares from celebrated English breeders. He
contemplated starting a racing stable.

One day when Madame Desvarennes arrived at Cernay, she was surprised to
see the greensward bordering the woods marked out with white stakes. She
asked inquiringly what these stakes meant? Micheline answered in an easy
tone:

"Ah! you saw them? That is the track for training. We made Mademoiselle
de Cernay gallop there to-day. She's a level-going filly with which
Serge hopes to win the next Poule des Produits."

The mistress was amazed. A child who had been brought up so simply, in
spite of her large fortune, a little commoner, speaking of level-going
fillies and the Poule des Produits! What a change had come over her
and what incredible influence this frivolous, vain Panine had over that
young and right-minded girl! And that in a few months! What would it be
later? He would succeed in imparting to her his tastes and would mould
her to his whims, and the young modest girl whom he had received from
the mother would become a horsey and fast woman.

Was it possible that Micheline could be happy in that hollow and empty
life? The love of her husband satisfied her. His love was all she
asked for, all else was indifferent to her. Thus of her mother, the
impassioned toiler, was born the passionate lover! All the fervency
which the mother had given to business, Micheline had given to love.

Moreover, Serge behaved irreproachably. One must do him that justice.
Not even an appearance accused him. He was faithful, unlikely as that
may seem in a man of his kind; he never left his wife. He had hardly
ever gone out without her; they were a couple of turtle-doves. They were
laughed at.

"The Princess has tied a string round Serge's foot," was said by some of
Serge's former woman friends!

It was something to be sure of her daughter's happiness. That happiness
was dearly, bought; but as the proverb says:

"Money troubles are not mortal!"

And, besides, it was evident that the Prince did not keep account of
his money; his hand was always open. And never did a great lord do
more honor to his fortune. Panine, in marrying Micheline, had found the
mistress's cash-box at his disposal.

This prodigious cash-box had seemed to him inexhaustible, and