Arsene Lupin

ages and many lands, jumbled together with the execrable taste which so often afflicts those whose only standard of value is money. The golden light warmed th

perious faces of beautiful women. It flashed back from armour of brightly polished steel, and drew dull gleams from armour of bronze. The hues of rare porcelain, of the rich inla

he face of the girl who sat writing at a table in front of the long windows, which opened on

her rounded chin admirably moulded. A lover of beauty would have been at a loss whether more to admire her clear, germander eyes, so melting and so adorable, or the sensitive mouth, with its rather full lips, inviting

of gold where the sunlight fell on it; and little curls, rebellious

ay on her left hand. When she had addressed an envelope,

rtin has the h

marriage of

the Duke of

lawn-tennis on the terrace, raised their voices higher than usual as they called the score, and distracted her attention from her work, her gaze strayed through the open window and lin

aine?" answered

ried the voice, a petulant vo

the envelope under her pen, she laid it on the pile ready to be posted

the mantelpiece; and her attitude, as with arms upraised she arranged the flowers, displayed the de

ing voice of that pure, bell-like tone which has been Nature

ny, miss?"

ss your master

e car to Rennes to lunch; and it's a good many

not back from his

," said Alfred

things packed for the journey to Paris? You will hav

the maids, miss, I can't say. They've been bustling ab

be as quick as you can with

She did not take up her pen; she took up one of the wedding-cards;

rious voice broke

with those letters?" it cried angrily; and Germaine Go

ame. She was a pretty girl in a striking, high-coloured, rather obvious way-the very foil to Sonia's delicate beauty. Her lips were a little

r into the hall: Jeanne Gautier, tall, sallow, dark, with a somewhat m

work; and pointing to the pile of envelopes

to the letter V," said Ge

ness? You've invited the whole Faubourg Saint-Germain," sai

t your wedding," said Jeanne,

nce's cousin, gave an At Home the other day in my honour. At it she introduced half

iends for you when you're the Duc

"Above everything, Sonia, don't forget Veaulegli

," said Sonia, taking a fresh enve

Veauleglise ought to have a cross, a double cross, or a trip

cried Marie and

the wedding-breakfast, and the triple cross means an invitation to the marriage, the breakfast, an

he honour of knowing that

," sai

cques' mother. The two duchesses were on excellent terms. Besides the Duchess of Veauleglise is

ree crosses,

ace, my dear, I shouldn't risk a slip. I shoul

o in the last seven years. Seven years ago he took nothing seriously. Why, he set off on

day?" sa

h. Society gets on his nerves. He's

lark," said Sonia,

gay enough when he's making fun of people. B

delighted with the

g at Rennes to-day with the Minister, with t

Honour is a fine thin

well for middle-class people, but it's quit

ay, and set it on a little table n

n the room. Suddenly she stopped short, and pointing to a silver statuette w

the cabinet, in its usual place,"

we were out in the garden, Alfre

s," said

have come into it,"

one. I was in my p

odd," sai

. "Statuettes don't mov

again forthwith, under their very eyes. Then Alfred put it back i

ould wear at it, and the presents Germaine had already received. That reminded her to ask Sonia

ermaine. "It shows that nobody

ir of a spoiled child, which sat but poorly o

on't deliver things on Su

ill pouted like

ming to have tea with us?" sa

He had to go for a ride with the two Du Buits.

he two Du Buits? But wh

afte

house after lunch, to see Andre and Georges. They went for

tell me so?" said Germaine, knit

Dukes-well, we know what dukes are-it will be just as

"Thank you. I have every confidence in Jacques

e sure, it's all r

elephone-bell made a

presents have come, have they? ... Well, well, what are they? ... What! a paper-knife-another paper-knife! ... Another Louis XVI. inkstan

eiver still at her ear, and cried: "Oh, girls, a pear

ly!" sai

ointment. "Never mind, after all it's a pearl necklace. You'll be sure and lock the doors carefully, Victoire, won't

er, and came away from

us presents, and all the swells send me paper-knives. It's all Jacques' fault. He's abo

t advertising it,"

s cousin Madame de Relzieres said to me the other day at the At Home she gave in my honour-was

of that At Home," said Jea

kward silence.

that she is on pins and needles with anxiety

om?" sai

hold of a letter from t

eres," said Germaine. "He's a first-c

ckered in little lines of perplexity, as if she were puzzling out some pr

t friend of your fiance

," said Germaine. "Why, it was through

s that?"

very chateau,"

n house?" said Mari

d obliged to dispose of this chateau, to raise the money for his expedition to the South Pole; and if papa and I had not wanted an historic

rheumatism got to do with your being

p. To prove to papa that he had nothing to fear, Jacques, en grand seig

ruly ducal,

ways like tha

by a miracle my father got cured of his rheumatism here. Jacques fell in love with me; p

nly sixteen then," said

Germaine. "Then since Jacques was setting out for the South Pole, and papa consid

thing that's roman

d. "But between ourselves, if I'd known that he w

go away for three years and stay

l youth," said Jeanne, w

said Germa

ree. It's the flower of

o. As soon as he recovers, since he's the most obstinate person in the world, he resolves to go on with the expedition. He sets out; and

appy you must have

nths I daren't put on a light froc

cared for him," whisp

ths ago a telegram informed us that he was coming back; and at

ed," cried Jeann

y seven years for one's fiance.

chnoff," said Jeanne, in a tone of mocke

u mean?" sa

oneself Mlle. Gournay-Martin-it's not worth

even years of it, Germaine was on the point of bec

baron," said Je

hat true?"

y became engaged to the Duke's cousin, the Ba

heir of the Duke, Relzieres would have assumed the title, and I s

, dear, I must be off. We've promised to run in to see the

air of careless pr

when he was still called simply M. Grosjean. For his part, papa p

Well, then, I'll see you in Paris. You sti

ow morning,"

coats to the accompaniment of chatterin

turned to Sonia, and said: "I do hate tho

od-natured enou

g!" said Germaine. "Well, they've every reason to be," she added confidently