The Author of Beltraffio

bout your sister," N

ook. "Now that I think of it, you have n

that ver

e very right," said Bellegarde. "I can't tal

can," rejoined Newma

as stone, resigned itself to its grave defects, and come to life as flesh and blood, to wear white capes and long trains. All I can say is that she really possesses every merit that her face, her glance, her smile, the tone of her voice, lead you to expect; it is saying a great deal. As a general thing, when a woman seems very charmin

turning over his companion's words. "Sh

nely

table, gentl

elf; kindness d

he cl

I know. Try her, some day, with som

ond of ad

Bellegarde; "wh

of admiration they commit al

d not mean she was too ugly. She is fond of pleasing, and if you are pleased she is grateful. If you are not pleased, she lets it pass and thinks the worst neither of y

e or gay?" a

There is gravity in her gaiety, and gaiety in her gravity.

he un

some receipt communicated to her by the Blessed Virgin in a vision. To be unhappy is to be disagreeable,

ilosopher,"

simply a ver

at any rate, have

did. "Oh, my dear fellow, if I go into the history of

ry, I bargain for

is family pounced upon his money, brought a lawsuit against his widow, and pushed things very hard. Their case was a good one, for M. de Cintré, who had been trustee for some of his relatives, appeared to have been guilty of some very irregular practices. In the course of the suit some revelations were made as to his private history which my sister found so displeasing that she ceased to

as the

xt ten years, that was asked of

iked her husb

knows ho

French way," Newman continued, "made by the

and white she remained till her wedding-day. The evening before the ceremony she swooned away, and she spent the whole night in sobs. My mother sat holding her two hands, and my brother walked up and

an, reflectively, "must b

has the best manners in France. He is extremely clever; indeed he is very learned. He is writing a history of The Princesses of France Who Never Married." This was

little there was, for he presently

rde, ceremoniously; "well-bred pe

ove him, then!"

!" rejoined Bellegarde,

ery remarkable?" Newma

, "I have the highest admiration. She is a very extraordin

r, I believe, of an

rl of St.

St. Dunstan's a

k. The family antiquaries themselves lose breath. At last they stop, panting and fanning

istake about i

have been mistaken at lea

ways married int

ceptions. Three or four Bellegardes, in the seventeenth and eighteenth

; that's very bad, i

t was like marrying a bird or a monkey; one didn't have to think about her family at all. Our women have always done well; th

the first time you came to see me to render me any service you could. I told

ave been count

ce. Do what you can to make

"Why, I'm sure she thinks as we

ery little. I want something more. I have been thinking of it a good deal, and at l

ulse to broaden; but this it immediately checked. Then it remained for some instants taking counsel with itself, at the end of which it decreed a retreat. It slowly effaced itself and left a look of seriousness modified by the desire not to be rude. Extreme surprise had come into the Count

the service I ask," sa

ery important, you know. I shall plead your cause with my si

ry and do that myself. But say a good word for me,

arde gave a lit

hing particular to be done, let me know and I will do it. I wouldn't for the world approach Madame de Cintré without all the proper forms. If I ought to go and tell your mother, why I will go and tel

then turned away and walked slowly the length of the room. Newman got up and stood leaning against the mantel-shelf, with his hands in his pockets, watching Bellegarde's

matter what you have done, people are never prepared. But

to be tremendously frank. I don't kno

hall be-encouraged. If you are horrified, I shall be sorry,

your only possible attitude

e?" asked Newman. "But why is it, by t

is hair quickly up and down, thrusting out the tip of his tongu

am not!" excl

ttle more seriously, "I di

ow anything about that, I don't know who is and who is not. But I say I am noble. I don't exa

to show, my dear fe

I am going to undertake to prove that I am

e. You have manufa

ot noble? I don't see it. Tell me somethi

oman like Madame de C

aid Newman slowly, "tha

y speaki

blushed a little. Then he raised his eyes to the ceiling and stood looking at one of the rosy cherubs that was painted upon it. "Of course I don't expect to marry any woman for t

thy, and amusement. "You should not hesitate, then,

suit me. But I am very fasti

o prevail. "And you should be

ed to say yes, but nevertheless I think I sho

would

long time looking, and I find such women are rare. To combine the qualities I require seems to be difficult, but when the difficult

ies that you requ

education, personal elegance-everything,

h, evidently,"

all means, if it's ther

ms to you to have

ave been looking for. Sh

make her a very

I wanted you

room, and again he came back and stationed himself in front of Newman. "All this is very interesting-it is very curious. In what I said just now I was speaking, not for myself, but for my tradition, my superstitions. For myself, re

n, try it! I want to proceed with my eye

us for me to come talking to you as if I could patronize you. I have told you before that I envy you; vous m'imposez, as we say. I didn't know you mu

have practically told me that your family and your friends will turn up their noses at me. I have never thought much about the reasons that make it proper for people to turn up their noses, and so I can only decide the question off-hand. Looking at it in that way I can't see anything in it. I simply think, if you want to know, that I'm as good as the best. Who the best are, I don't pretend to say. I have never thought much about that either. To tell the

to make your court as we say,

d Newman, "I wa

me something of a spectacle. It's positively exciting. But apart from that I sympathize with you, and I shall be actor, so far as I can, as well as spectator. You are a capi

resently, "that Madame de Cint

t is not against you; it's for

ill be hard," sai

ony-freedom and consideration-and she has got rid of the drawbacks. Why should she put her head into the noose again? Her usual motive

-is Madame de Ci

great man. But in a certain way, I believe, whatever she does will be the improbable. Don't be too confident, but don't absolutely doubt. Your best chance for success will be precisely in

d Newman. "And," he added with a smile, "I am g

new to see you come into the family as a suitor, I am very much mistaken. Let me say that, my dear fellow; I won't call it anything else, bad or good; I will simply call it new." And overcome with a sense of the novelty thus foreshadowed, Valentin de Bellegarde threw himself into a deep

ong. Leave me to myself, rather, or defy me, out a

you succeed, and I turn out to have helped you, you will never be grateful, not as I shall deserve you should be. You will be an excellent fellow always, but you will not

hat I don't understand you. I s

ange, my brother is strange, and I verily believe that I am stranger than either. You will even find my sister a little strange. Old

the sort of thing I came to Europe

you; I espouse your cause. It's because I like you, in a great measure; but that is

the oth

osition. I disli

ked Newman, in his

es have strange secrets!" he said. "Put yourself into motion, come and se

efore his fire, and sat a lon