that the proud Mari' Anto' had heard him
through. Probably no other man, not even her Prince, had ever spoken to
her thus. Full of the inspiration of hope, and stimulated by the fine
speeches he had just thrown off, the dramatist soon hit upon his final
scene. He was going back to write it out before breakfast, when he
stopped short in surprise at seeing through the branches 'the Prince's'
windows open to the sunlight Who was coming? What favourite guest was to
be honoured with those convenient and luxurious rooms, looking over the
river and the park? He made inquiries, and was reassured. It was
her Grace's architect; he was coming to the castle after an illness.
Considering the intimacy between the lady and the Astiers, nothing was
more natural than that Paul should be entertained like a son of the
house in a mansion which he had more or less created. Still, when
the new arrival took his seat at breakfast, his chastened delicacy of
feature, his paleness--the paler by a white silk kerchief--his duel, his
wound, and the general flavour of romance surrounding him seemed to make
so keen an impression on the ladies, and called forth such affectionate
interest and care on the part of the Duchess herself, that handsome
Danjou, being one of those all-engrossing persons to whom any other
man's success seems a personal loss, if not downright robbery, felt
a jealous pang. With his eyes on his plate he took advantage of his
position by the hostess to murmur some depreciatory remarks upon the
pretty young fellow, unfortunately so much disfigured by his mother's
nose. He made merry over his duel, his wound, and his reputation in the
fencing-room, the kind of bubble which bursts at the first prick of a
real sword. He added, not knowing how near he was to the truth, 'The
quarrel at cards was of course a mere pretext; there was a woman at the
bottom of it.'

'Of the duel? Do you think so?' His nod said 'I am sure of it.' Much
admiring his own cleverness, he turned to the company, and dazzled them
with his epigrams and anecdotes. He never went into society without
providing himself with a store of these pocket squibs. Paul was no match
for him here, and the ladies' interest soon reverted to the brilliant
talker, especially when he announced that, having got his _denouement_
and finished his play, he would read it in the drawing-room while it was
too hot to go out. A universal exclamation of delight from the ladies
welcomed this invalua