more interesting still to marry him； and I think； when all is
considered； that I shall probably … very probably … decide to do so。〃
He looked at her； looked at the sweet； challenging loveliness of that
childlike face so tightly framed in the oval of white fur； and all
the life seemed to go out of his own countenance。
〃God help you； Aline！〃 he groaned。
She stamped her foot。 He was really very exasperating； and
something presumptuous too； she thought。
〃You are insolent； monsieur。〃
〃It is never insolent to pray； Aline。 And I did no more than pray；
as I shall continue to do。 You'll need my prayers； I think。〃
〃You are insufferable！〃 She was growing angry； as he saw by the
deepening frown； the heightened colour。
〃That is because I suffer。 Oh； Aline； little cousin； think well of
what you do； think well of the realities you will be bartering for
these shams … the realities that you will never know； because these
cursed shams will block your way to them。 When M。 de La Tour d'Azyr
comes to make his court； study him well； consult your fine instincts；
leave your own noble nature free to judge this animal by its
intuitions。 Consider that。。。 〃
〃I consider； monsieur； that you presume upon the kindness I have
always shown you。 You abuse the position of toleration in which
you stand。 Who are you？ What are you； that you should have the
insolence to take this tone with me？〃
He bowed； instantly his cold； detached self again； and resumed the
mockery that was his natural habit。
〃My congratulations； mademoiselle； upon the readiness with which you
begin to adapt yourself to the great role you are to play。〃
〃Do you adapt yourself also； monsieur；〃 she retorted angrily； and
turned her shoulder to him。
〃To be as the dust beneath the haughty feet of Madame la Marquise。
I hope I shall know my place in future。〃
The phrase arrested her。 She turned to him again； and he perceived
that her eyes were shining now suspiciously。 In an instant the
mockery in him was quenched in contrition。
〃Lord； what a beast I am； Aline！〃 he cried； as he advanced。
〃Forgive me if you can。〃
Almost had she turned to sue forgiveness from him。 But his contrition
removed the need。
〃I'll try；〃 said she； 〃provided that you undertake not to offend
again。
〃But I shall；〃 said he。 〃I am like that。 I will fight to save you；
from yourself if need be； whether you forgive me or not。〃
They were standing so； confronting each other a little breathlessly；
a little defiantly； when the others issued from the porch。
First came the Marquis of La Tour d'Azyr； Count of Solz； Knight of
the Orders of the Holy Ghost and Saint Louis； and Brigadier in the
armies of the King。 He was a tall； graceful man； upright and
soldierly of carriage； with his head disdainfully set upon his
shoulders。 He was magnificently dressed in a full…skirted coat of
mulberry velvet that was laced with gold。 His waistcoat； of velvet
too； was of a golden apricot colour； his breeches and stockings were
of black silk； and his lacquered； red…heeled shoes were buckled in
diamonds。 His powdered hair was tied behind in a broad ribbon of
watered silk； he carried a little three…cornered hat under his arm；
and a gold…hilted slender dress…sword hung at his side。
Considering him now in complete detachment； observing the
magnificence of him； the elegance of his movements； the great air；
blending in so extraordinary a manner disdain and graciousness；
Andre…Louis trembled for Aline。 Here was a practised； irresistible
wooer； whose bonnes fortunes were become a by…word； a man who had
hitherto been the despair of dowagers with marriageable daughters；
and the desolation of husbands with attractive wives。
He was immediately followed by M。 de Kercadiou； in completest
contrast。 On legs of the shortest； the Lord of Gavrillac carried
a body that at forty…five was beginning to incline to corpulence
and an enormous head containing an indifferent allotment of
intelligence。 His countenance was pink and blotchy； liberally
branded by the smallpox which had almost extinguished him in youth。
In dress he was careless to the point of untidiness； and to this
and to the fact that he had never married … disregarding the first
duty of a gentleman to provide himself with an heir … he owed the
character of misogynist attributed to him by the countryside。
After M。 de Kercadiou came M。 de Vilmorin； very pale and
self…contained； with tight lips and an overcast brow。
To meet them； there stepped from the carriage a very elegant young
gentleman； the Chevalier de Chabrillane； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's
cousin； who whilst awaiting his return had watched with considerable
interest … his own presence unsuspected … the perambulations of
Andre…Louis and mademoiselle。
Perceiving Aline； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr detached himself from the
others； and lengthening his stride came straight across the terrace
to her。
To Andre…Louis the Marquis inclined his head with that mixture of
courtliness and condescension which he used。 Socially； the young
lawyer stood in a curious position。 By virtue of the theory of his
birth； he ranked neither as noble nor as simple； but stood somewhere
between the two classes； and whilst claimed by neither he was used
familiarly by both。 Coldly now he returned M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's
greeting； and discreetly removed himself to go and join his friend。
The Marquis took the hand that mademoiselle extended to him； and
bowing over it； bore it to his lips。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said； looking into the blue depths of her eyes；
that met his gaze smiling and untroubled； 〃monsieur your uncle does
me the honour to permit that I pay my homage to you。 Will you；
mademoiselle； do me the honour to receive me when I come to…morrow？
I shall have something of great importance for your ear。〃
〃Of importance； M。 le Marquis？ You almost frighten me。〃 But there
was no fear on the serene little face in its furred hood。 It was
not for nothing that she had graduated in the Versailles school of
artificialities。
〃That；〃 said he； 〃is very far from my design。〃
〃But of importance to yourself； monsieur； or to me？〃
〃To us both； I hope；〃 he answered her； a world of meaning in his
fine； ardent eyes。
〃You whet my curiosity； monsieur； and； of course； I am a dutiful
niece。 It follows that I shall be honoured to receive you。〃
〃Not honoured； mademoiselle； you will confer the honour。 To…morrow
at this hour； then； I shall have the felicity to wait upon you。〃
He bowed again； and again he bore her fingers to his lips； what time
she curtsied。 Thereupon； with no more than this formal breaking of
the ice； they parted。
She was a little breathless now； a little dazzled by the beauty of
the man； his princely air； and the confidence of power he seemed to
radiate。 Involuntarily almost； she contrasted him with his critic
… the lean and impudent Andre…Louis in his plain brown coat and
steel…buckled shoes … and she felt guilty of an unpardonable offence
in having permitted even one word of that presumptuous criticism。
To…morrow M。 le Marquis would come to offer her a great position； a
great rank。 And already she had derogated from the increase of
dignity accruing to her from his very intention to translate her to
so great an eminence。 Not again would she suffer it； not again
would she be so weak and childish as to permit Andre…Louis to utter
his ribald comments upon a man by comparison with whom he was no
better than a lackey。
Thus argued vanity and ambition with her better self and to her vast
annoyance her better self would not admit entire conviction。
Meanwhile； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr was climbing into his carriage。 He
had spoken a word of farewell to M。 de Kercadiou； and he had also
had a word for M。 de Vilmorin in reply to which M。 de Vilmorin had
bowed in assenting silence。 The carriage rolled away； the powdered
footman in blue…and…gold very stiff behind it； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr
bowing to mademoiselle； who waved to him in answer。
Then M。 de Vilmorin put his arm through that of Andre Louis； and said
to him； 〃Come； Andre。〃
〃But you'll stay to dine； both of you！〃 cried the hospitable Lord
of Gavrillac。 〃We'll drink a certain toast；〃 he added； winking an
eye that strayed towards mademoiselle； who was approaching。 He had
no subtleties； good soul that he was。
M。 de Vilmorin deplored an appointment that prevented him doing
himself the honour。 He was very stiff and formal。
〃And you； Andre？〃
〃I？ Oh； I share the appointment； godfather；〃 he lied； 〃and I have
a superstition against toasts。〃 He had no wish to remain。 He was
angry with Aline for her smiling reception of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr
and the sordid bargain he saw her set on making。 He was suffering
from the loss of an illusion。
CHAPTER III
THE ELOQUENCE OF M。 DE VILMORIN
As they walked down the hill together； it was now M。 de Vilmorin
who was silent and preoccupied； Andre…Louis who was talkative。 He
had chosen Woman as a subject for his present discourse。 He claimed
… quite unjustifiably … to have discovered Woman that morning； and
the things he had to say of the sex were unflattering； and
occasionally almost gross。 M。 de Vilmorin； having ascertained the
subject； did not listen。 Singular though it may seem in a young
French abbe of his day； M。 de Vilmorin was not interested in Woman。
Poor Philippe was in several ways exceptional。 Opposite the Breton
arme … the inn and posting…house at the entrance of the village of
Gavrillac … M。 de Vilmorin interrupted his companion just as he was
soaring to the dizziest heights of caustic invective； and
Andre…Louis； restored thereby to actualities； observed the carriage
of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr standing before the door of the hostelry。
〃I don't believe you've been listening to me；〃 said he。
〃Had you been less interested in what you were saying； you might
have observed it sooner and spared your breath。 The fact is； you
disappoint me； Andre。 You seem to have forgotten what we went for。
I have an appointment here with M。 le Marquis。 He desires to hear
me further in the matter。 Up there at Gavrillac I could accomplish
nothing。 The time was ill…chosen as it happ