still cared for her, and had wanted to avenge her at the
risk of his life! Not that Paul's feeling was love, she supposed, but
only a grateful affection, the reminiscence of kindnesses done by her
to him and his family, perhaps an imperative desire to atone for his
mother's treachery. Generous, brave fellow! If she had been in Paris,
she would have gone to him at once, but as her guests were just due, she
could only write and send him her own doctor.

Every hour came fresh arrivals from Blois and from Onzain, Mousseaux
lying half way between the two stations. The landau, the victoria, and
two great breaks set down at the steps in the great court, amid the
incessant ringing of the bell, many illustrious members of the Duchess's
set, academicians and diplomatists, the Count and Countess Foder,
the Comte de Bretigny and his son the Vicomte, who was a Secretary of
Legation, M. and Madame Desminieres, Laniboire the philosopher, who had
come to the castle to draw up his report on the award of the _Prix de
vertu_, the young critic of Shelley, who was 'run' by the Padovani set,
and Danjou, handsome Danjou, all by himself, though his wife had been
asked. Life at Mousseaux was exactly what it had been the year before.
The day passed in calls, or work in the separate rooms, meals, general
conversation, afternoon naps; then, when the great heat was passed, came
long drives through the woods, or sails on the river in the little fleet
of boats anchored at the bottom of the park. Parties would be made to
picnic on an island, and some of the guests would repair to the fish
preserves, which were always well stocked with lively fish, as the
keeper took care to replenish them from his nets before each expedition.
Then every one came back to the ceremonious dinner, after which the
gentlemen, when they had smoked in the billiard room or on the
gallery, joined the ladies in a splendid apartment, which had been the
council-chamber of Catherine de Medicis.

All round the huge room were depicted in tapestry the loves of Dido
and her despair at the departure of the Trojan ships. The irony of this
strange coincidence was not remarked by any one, so little do people
in society regard their surroundings, less for want of observation than
because they are always and fully occupied with their personal behaviour
and the effect they are to produce. But there was a striking contrast
between the tragic despair of the abandoned queen, gazing with arms
up