The Suitors of Yvonne

ll him the truth and expose to him the situation whereof he was himself the unconscious centre I dared not, lest his high-spirited

his thoughts had suddenly found occupation in another and a gentler theme than the ill-humour of men, and prese

t out, "she is a lovely ma

thought of how little he dreamt that it was of Yvonne St. Albaret de

iulio's plans are likely to suffer shipwreck. I shall not leave Choisy

s we had projected, after dining, for in an hour, o

t for some m

ans!" quoth he, banging his fist on

! Why

s, as a spark is born of flint and steel, and you may have laughed at the conceit, as I have laughed at it. But laugh no more, Gaston; for I who stand before you am one who h

l nephew, resigned to obey his reverend uncle's wishes, at least because fate f

e is going to Blois

I heard her servant sp

, the news will not awaken his ever-ready suspicions. Ciel! How beautiful she i

ing, boy. Oh, St. Gris! I understand; you are sp

me in am

dering to that lanky, nose-in-the

was not Yvonne after all who had imprisoned his wits. The Cardin

e-air Madame, as you call

lady that held my gaze. Pshaw! Wh

id I, but with a

scend whilst he was absent. Indeed, she might require some slight service that lay, perchance, in his power to render her. What an opportunity would he not lose were he abroad? She might even depart before we returned; and than that no greater calamity could just then befall him. No, he wou

mirror ready to hold the image of the first fair maid that looks into it through ou

enthusiasm and the monotony of a conversation which I could divert into no other channel from that upon which it had been started by a little slip of a girl

e heads of the families-being agreed and even anxious to bring about the union of Yvonne de Canaples and Andrea de Mancini, it was something new to have a cabal of persons who, from motives of principle-as St. Auban had it-should oppose the alliance so relentlessly as to even resort to violence if no other means occurred to them. It seemed vastly probable that Andrea would be disposed of by a knife in the back, and more than pro

cter that it was not until two hours afterwards th

Andrea; he stood bareheaded, despite the cold, conversing, with

hen presently I noted that the coach was Mademoiselle de Canaples's, I ce

to interrupt so pretty a scene, I waited, aloof, until these adieux should be concluded, and

he gentleman to whose courtesy we are indebted for

ur servants, and one to whom your thanks are a more than lavish payment

ss doth a tongue

nne's voice in answer. "Surely a

ew, Madem

r, is a great admi

I inferred that she was in ignorance of the compact into which his Emine

a bow, as though the compliment had been paid to him. "Am

ather is the Chevalier de Canaples, of whom it is possible that you may have heard. I am Yvonne de Canaples, of

courtliness of a moment ago had vanished, and he stood sheepish and gauche as a clown. At length he

stammered with a nervous laugh, as if

swered Geneviève, "

meet again. I, too, am travelling in th

red his farewell. The coachman roused his horses into an amble; the amble became a trot, and the vehicle vanished round a corner. Some few

shoulder; at the touch he started lik

e returned

de a discovery, and are o

er

es herself at every step of our lives. Had you fallen in love with Yvonne-and it passes my understanding why you

ishly. "What does it signify? To

aid this

ot even dream her

she is the wr

sir, 't is I who am to wed, and

And Ma

wered, with an

ou are resolve

no app

st if you would live; and unless you liv

aughing at me! I d

gravely, with

e, Andrea," and I took his arm, "let us ascend to that chamber which she has but just quitted. Who can tell but that we shall find there some token of her rec

mself as I drew him

"Your callous soul

s' experience. Pardieu! You shal

. If any the beautiful Geneviève had left behind her, they had been smothered i

erateness wherewith I ate, and betrayed thereby his impatience to be in the saddle and after her. I argued that whilst she saw him not she might think of him. But the argument,

let, Silvio, occupied the seat beside the coachman, whilst my stalwart Michelot rode behind leading my horse by the bridle. In this fashion we set out, and ere long the silence of m

g already through the streets of Etrechy; so that whilst I had slept we had covered some six leagues. Twilight had already set in, and Andrea lay back idly in the

hould not have thought, Gaston," he said, "that a man wi

oundly," I grumbled

have slept l

hear the name of Geneviève de Canaples. 'T is

d good-hu

never love

ft

you never conceiv

reds,

such a on

n its fellow. Be good enough to pull the co

h to ali

ichelot whilst you dream of her coral lips, her sapphire eye

se pages, Michelot was as much my friend as my servant. It was therefore no more than natural that I should communicate to him my f

ghts of étampes, where we proposed to lie, pee

town, and a few moments later we rattled

esh horses, and proceeded on their journey, intending to reach Monnerville that night. He was even mad enough to pr

d me, and suggested that we should throw a main together to kill time. The dice were found, and so clumsily did he use them that in half an hour, playing for beggarly crowns, he had lost twenty pistoles. Next he lost his temper, and with an oath pitched the cubes into the fire, swearing that they were toys for ch

e, the fool bade me good-night, and left me s