The Clique of Gold

e was already brilliant, rouged, dyed, and frizzed. Of course all these results

retty high up,

ng the young man. But he recalled himsel

; oh, no! A few stories to

ss. In the meantime, Daniel, full of respect for his future father-in-law, had drawn forward his easiest arm-

ust be very much surprised and pu

eak to me, you had only to drop me a line,

o meet one of my fellow members of the assembly, and he did not come to the place where we were to meet. On my return home, I happened to pass your house; and I said

ing Maxime's advice; hence Daniel, instead of re

count; so he repeated the que

kly, what do you th

atest beauties I have

with delight and with pride as he

Champcey, is her smallest attraction. When she opens her lips, the charms of her mind, beauty and her mind, an

in his beloved, gave the painted face of the count a strange, almost

ance alone has led me

niel, seemed to disturb him; for he resumed h

one; and I can

or some length of time; and, in that emphatic manner which so w

of my rank would have chosen. Her whole capacity rarely rose beyond the effort to distinguish a ball-dress from a dinner-dress. But she was a good w

who had literally made him, and who, for sixt

dear to me; and I set about to find distractions elsewhere. Soon after I had gotten into the habit of going frequently to my club, I

nd as I like it, because I excel in riding, as in every thing else, we often met in the Bois de Boulogne. We wished each other good-day; and sometimes we galloped a little while side b

had sprained an ankle, and dislocated a knee. There was no one near the place; and I began to be seriously embarrassed, when fortunately two soldiers appeared. I called to them, and sent one on my horse to the nearest hack-stand to bring a carriage. As soon as it came, we raised the invalid, and put him in as well as we

d the second story, a door suddenly opened, a

e running out. She had only taken time to throw a loose wrapper around her shoulder

imagined he was dangerously wounded, perhaps even-She turne

ng on my shoulder, so close that I became aware of the warmth of her lovely body, and actually felt her heart beat against mine. Her c

s of a man, she rose with an air of extreme distr

ned pale under his rouge; and his voice forsook him.

ll tell you that the women-well-the women have not been-exactly cruel to me. In

ssure you, have I felt such a deep sensation

strong perfume, and was wiping his forehead, though very gently, and wit

n; and the very next day I was at her door, inquiring after M. Thomas Elgin. They showed me into the room of that excellent gentleman, where I found him stret

reserve under all their politeness; but I staid and staid

hen I repeated my visits, until at last I came

ed a desire to walk out a few steps in the Champs Elysees. I offered him my arm; he accepted

ut very inattentively to the count's recital, for he had heard a strange, faint noise, which he

No doubt M. de Brevan, weary of his confinement and excited by curiosity, had chosen this way to

y calmness, when Sir Thorn confessed to me that he would have invited me long since, but for the fear of offending his young relative, who had declared she would never meet me again. I was grieved, and

which I have just described to you, ridiculous! It

t me see it, when I was formally presented to her, just before going to dinner. It is true, she blushed deeply; but

iend; I am sure we s

o see her at her house. Abroad she sacrifices herself in order to pay

, that I was quite surprised when I found her addressing me li

nts' minds,-with politics, industry, discussions in the assembly, discoveries in science, &c. A man like myself, known abroad and at home during a long political career of some distinction, could not be a stranger to Miss Brandon. My earnestness in defending those causes w

ny a day when I wished I were a friend of yours, so that I might sa

gotten myself; and she always quoted them literally. At times, I was amazed at some peculiarly bold thoug

deas; I got them from you. You sai

d almost always that Miss Brandon had been right. Need I tell you after that, that I soon b

tion, when I looked at their rigid morality, united with the heartiest cheerfulness. There I enjoyed my happiest hours, between Mrs. Brian, the Puritan lady, so strict

Handry aiming at? or

ld to the natural desire of all lovers, to pour out the exuberance of their feelings, and to

lf; but the count did not leave him

d to rouse himself, and said,

say to yourself, 'Count Ville-Handry was in

chair; and, overcome by

be pos

rt, I could not help being struck by a change in Miss Brandon's face, and especially in her manner. After having treated me with the greatest freedom and familiarity, she had suddenly become reserved, and almo

refore, to more careful observation; and I soon became aware, that, if I loved Miss Brandon only

absurd to Daniel; in his Henrietta's father, it pained him deeply. The cou

u doubt w

no,

my mind. I did not for a moment think of abusing the confidence of this innocent child; and yet I knew, I felt it, she was absolutely in my power. But no! It would have been infamous in me to repay the hospitality of excellent Mrs. Brian, and the kindne

ead in Daniel's eyes his real opinion.

at the idea of marryi

; thus, however heavy the blow was, it f

the count; for he uttered an expressi

ry, but weighed the reasons for and against very carefully. I am not one of those weak men, you know, I am sure, who can easily be hoodwinked, and who fanc

m, but that we are just as old as we appear to be. Now, thanks to an exceptionally sober and peaceful life, of which forty years were spent in the country, to an iron constitutio

is back, and stretched out his well-shaped leg. Then, when h

in her teens? Far from that! She is at least twenty-five, my

to him a woman of twenty-five appeared a

y, who are all fire and flame in the honeymoon, and who, six months later, wearied with pure and tranquil happiness, seek their delights elsewhere. It is not only of late that I have found out how truly she values what is, after all, most desirable in this world,-a great name worthily borne by a true man, and a reputation that would she

gravely, and said

I would be a madman to allow such happiness to escape me, and that I was bound to risk every thing. I made up my mind, therefore, fir

said at first, 'and

choice! But I fell from the clouds when he told me outright that he meant to do all he could do to prevent such a match. Nor would he give up his purpose, say what I could; and I had to use all my skill to make him change his

aughed heartily, no doubt recalling his discus

s. At the first word, she called me-God forgive her!-an old fool, and

Puritan; and, when I became pressing, she dropped me a solemn curts

ge her mind. Not at all. The next morning, when I called at the house, the servants said Sir Thorn was out, and Mrs. Brian and

ho wrote. She asked me to be that very day, at four o'clock, in the Bois de Boulogne, near the waterfall

fter I got there, I saw her-or rather I felt her-coming towards me, riding at full spe

day. I am deeply wounded by this want of confidence, and I do not th

e looked at that moment. She was flushed with excitement and the rapid ride; her

u yourself-you will probably despise

excitement; but, soon r

life. And yet I had the courage, mad as I felt I was becoming, to speak to her words of calm reason. Yes, I h

p, and accused me

a way out of the diffi

ve just told me, and I am sure I shall co

s sh

r madness, Sir Thorn and Mrs. Brian dared not oppose our plans any longer. After some litt

t so. Go, then, a

m the accident that had befallen M. Elgin, and the fainting-fit of Miss Brandon, to the meeting in the Bois de Boulogne and the proposed runaway-match, all seemed

e that was going on around him, seemed to him incomprehensible. The count, however, was

. Tell us frankly that you suspect Miss Brandon, and accuse her of tr

y so," stamm

mistake. What do you think Miss Brandon would gain by marrying me? A fortune, you say.

fortune, Daniel knew but too well from Maxime's account; hence he could not

d, they would produce, three, four, or five times as much, or even more. Sir Thorn has proved to me that they are an almost inexhaustible mine of wealth. If petroleum was not fabulously profitable, how would you account for the oil-fever with which these

imself. He had evidently been on the point of letting a secr

ecause she can do no better. Mistaken again, my friend. At this very moment she is called upon to choose be

king himself that question; his mind was in a state of utter confusion. Still, as the count insisted on having his opinion, as he urged him,

, you know Miss

buy a cat in a bag? Her excelle

previou

chair, and, casting a sav

oblest and chastest of all women, has already been at work here, anticipating my communicatio

, behind which M. de Brevan was listening. Perhaps he

f a wretched thief, a cashier of some bank, who had become a defaulter? Did they not say that she had driven a foolish young man, a gambler, to commit suicide; and that she had watched, unmoved, the tortures of his agony? Ah! you have only to look at Miss Brandon to know that these vile stories are wretched inventions of malicious ene

hus defending his beloved. His eye brightened up;

inful topic," he said:

the mantelpiece, so as t

lly, but affectionately, even tenderly. As to relations, there is not any. I have some remote cousins, who, having nothing to expect from me when I die, do not trouble themselves any more about me than I trouble myself about them. B

d by that unsuccessful appointment which had procured

in spite of all she has promised me, and she will make a terrible scene of it. And if Miss Brandon consents, in spite of all, to go on, my house will become a hell to me, and my wife will suffer terribly

or the first time that the coun

ions to my daughter. But now I make this condition: if my daughter is to Miss Brandon what she ought to be to h

o speak; but he st

you the wisdom of my decision,

his hat and opened the

. She wants to speak to you. Come and dine with me; and after dinner we will