in love, I felt stronger than I had before and, in my desire to be with Marguerite

ead, and many the excuses its finds,

went back to my seat in the pit, quickly glancing around the

ed much altered, as I have told you, and I could not detect on he

il, she was still dressed f

insistently that

y positively who I was. For when she lowered her opera- glasses, a smile ?that captivating greeting of women ? strayed across her lips in reply to the acknowledg

was mistaken, she t

tain we

eatre. I never once saw her pay the slighte

est, and I had eyes only for her while doing

o occupied the box opposite hers; I raised my eyes to this other bo

ceeded and, counting on her contacts among the fashionable women

and I took advantage of a moment when she was looking in my d

happened: she summ

f forty with whom no great diplomatic subtleties are required to get them to say what yo

augurating a new round of signal

t you're w

rite Ga

u know

iner, and she's a

e in the ru

f her dressing-room looks

he's a char

you kno

d very much

tell her to come

you to introdu

er pl

es

more dif

hy

protection of an old Du

ion", how

t on. 'Poor old thing. He'd be h

rguerite had become acquaint

I continued, 'she'

's ri

ll drive

wi

come and f

inute

s taking

bod

ow m

ith a friend,

us, t

is friend

, very witty. He'll be

of us will leave after this play is fini

ll go and tel

you

rudence said: 'Ah! there's the Duke

ook

a bag of sweets which, with a smile, she began to eat at once, and then she pushed them

u want

s Prudenc

bag and, turning round, b

ery childish, but anything connected with that girl is so presen

n know what I had just a

as g

he stalls and made for

chestra stalls when we were forced to stop and make

rs of my life to have been

o a phaeton, which he drove himself, and they disap

d Prudenc

n. When we reached her door, Prudence invited us up to view her business premises, which w

ept

ser to Marguerite. It was not long before I

th your neighbour?'

s most likely

terribly bored,

home, she calls down to me. She never goes to bed before

y n

sumption, and she's al

have any love

of him. She's wrong, he's a very rich young man. I tell her from time to time, not that it does a bit of good: "My dear child, he's just the man for you!" She listens to me well enough ordinarily, but then she turns her back on me and answers that he is too stupid. He may be stupid, I grant you, but he'd set her up on a good footing

cking. He's a dull old thing: he calls her his daughter, looks after her like a little child, and is forever hovering round her. I'm prett

iano and playing a waltz, 'I had no idea. Still, I have n

udence, prickin

n sto

lling me,

iste

voice was call

n, off with you, ' Ma

tality, ' Gaston said laughingly,

hould

g to Marg

wait

't hav

e, we'll com

more out of t

' it's perfectly all right for m

d doesn't

introdu

ossi

arguerite's voice st

ng- room. I followed with Ga

that we could not be

, 'said Marguerite from her window in

you want

u to come

hy

s still here, and he'

't jus

stoppi

ung men here who

you've got

e told

ere; when they see you'

g the place u

t do the

nt to se

e their

of them, Monsi

know him; an

d Duval. Don't

hing would be better than the Count. I

er window, and Pr

member my name. I would have been better pleased to be remember

ton, 'I knew she'd be

hawl, 'she'll see you to make the Count go away. Try to be more agreeabl

Prudence dow

g that this visit would have

the evening I had been introduce

t with which you are acquainted, my heart w

rom a piano re

rang th

ano st

e like a lady's companion than

the drawing-room into the parlour, which was a

leaning against

etting her fingers run over the keys,

man's side, from an embarrassing awareness of his own dullness a

t and, coming up to us after first exchanging a look

ntlemen, you ar

b