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 ' She entered the hall blooming as a rose.'''' 
 
 CHAP. I.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIPS 
 
 A STUDY IN PINK. 
 
 FROM THE FRENCH OP 
 GYP, 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 'CHIFFON'S MARRIAGE." 
 
 BY 
 KATHERINE BERRY di ZEREGA. 
 
 WITH ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY 
 
 S. B. ASPELL. 
 
 F. TENNYSON NEELY, 
 
 114 Fifth Avenue, New York. 
 
 1896.
 
 Copyright, 1896 
 By F. Tennyson Neely
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 The Marchioness de Bracieux was working 
 for her poor. She thrust her large amber- 
 shell crochet-needle into a fluffy ball of wool, 
 and laying the ball on her lap, raised her eyes 
 and regarded her grandnephew Jean de 
 Blaye. 
 
 "Jean, what in the world are you looking 
 at that is so interesting ? You are standing 
 there flattening your nose against the window 
 exactly as you used to do when you were a 
 small child and incorrigible." 
 
 Jean de Blaye quickly turned his face, that 
 had been pressed against the diatuond pane of 
 the bay-window, and answered with a slight 
 hesitation: 
 
 " I? Why, nothing, aunt — nothing at all!" 
 
 " Nothing at all? Well, you are looking at 
 it with a great deal of attention!" 
 
 "Don't believe him, grandmother," said 
 Madame de Rueille in a beautiful grave voice. 
 " He is always hoping that a cab may appear 
 at the turn of the avenue." ^. 
 
 "Is he expecting any one?" inquired the ^^ 
 marchioness. ^,.-
 
 2 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Madame de Rneille explained, laughing: 
 
 " No, but a cab, even a cab from Pont-sur- 
 Loire, would remind him of Paris." 
 
 "It is only one of Bertrade's jokes." 
 
 " ' Even a cab from Pont-sur- Loire ?' " said 
 the marchioness. " One vrould say that Pont- 
 sur-Loire, with its division of cavalry, its 
 theater, and its faculty, was quite a town! 
 Ah! indeed, if the president. Monsieur Dubuis- 
 son, were to hear you." 
 
 " Well, it isn't quite Paris, but it might re- 
 mind amateurs of it." 
 
 Jean murmured without moving: 
 
 " Oh, I don't care so much about being re- 
 minded of Paris." 
 
 Madame de Rueille observed him with some 
 surprise, and turning toward her grandmother 
 remarked: 
 
 " One would almost say that he was sin- 
 cere." 
 
 '' Sincere, but absorbed," said the mar- 
 chioness. 
 
 And addressing a young abbe who was play- 
 ing lotto with the Eueille children, she asked: 
 
 " Monsieur I'Abbe, tell us is there anything 
 interesting going on now on the terrace?" 
 
 The abbe, who was seated with his back to 
 the great bay-window, looked over his shoulder 
 and answered at once: 
 
 "I see nothing in the least interesting, 
 Madame la Marquise."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 3 
 
 "Nothing in the least," affirmed Jean. 
 
 And leaving the window, he came and sat 
 down on a divan. One of the little De Rueilles, 
 neglecting his lotto counters and leaving the 
 abbe to repeat the numbers with invariable 
 patience, had perched himself on a chair, and 
 contorting his features, seemed to be making 
 signs to some one. 
 
 " At whom are you making such horrible 
 faces, little Marcel?" asked his grandmother. 
 
 "At Bijou," said the child. "She is out 
 there picking flowers." 
 
 " Has she been there a long time?" 
 
 It was the abbe who answered: 
 
 " Ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, Ma- 
 dame la Marquise. " 
 
 " And you think Bijou is not an interesting 
 object to look at ?" cried the old woman, laugh- 
 ing. "You are hard to please. Monsieur 
 I'Abbe!" 
 
 The Abbe Courteil, who was quite new to 
 the house and timid beyond belief, blushed 
 from his collar to the roots of his very pale 
 blond hair and murmured confusedly: 
 
 '■'• Mon Dieu! Madame la Marquise. I 
 thought when you asked if there were any- 
 thing interesting taking place on the terrace 
 you meant something extraordinary, and I 
 didn't think that the presence of Mademoiselle 
 Bij — of Mademoiselle Denyse, I mean to say.
 
 4 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 who gathers flowers for her baskets every day 
 at this hour and at this place, could be con- 
 sidered " 
 
 The sentence concluded in unintelligible 
 fashion, and the abb6, highly embarrassed, 
 went on shaking the numbers in a bag. 
 
 "Poor abbe!" said Bertrade de liueHle in 
 an undertone. "You are worrying him, 
 grandmother !" 
 
 "Why, no! Why, no! I'm not worry- 
 ing him at all. You are exaggerating, little 
 one." 
 
 And after a moment's reflection Madame 
 de Bracieux resumed: 
 
 " So he is blind, this boy!" 
 
 "What boy?" 
 
 "Your abbe! Parhleu! He gives stupid 
 answers!" 
 
 "But, grandmother " 
 
 " You see that I will never believe that any 
 man could look at Bijou gathering flowers and 
 not find her au object of interest!" 
 
 "Never!" 
 
 "A man — yes, but Monsieur I'Abbe is not 
 exactly a man." 
 
 "Ah ! What is he then, if you please?" 
 
 "Dear me! A priest is not " 
 
 " He is not a man to do stupid things — no! 
 at least I prefer to think so. But he has eyes, 
 a priest, all the same! You will surely agree
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 5 
 
 that if he has not the eyes of a man he at least 
 has the eyes of a woman. You will allow your 
 abb6 to have the eyes of a woman, will you 
 not?" 
 
 " But, grandmother, I'm not preventing him 
 from having any kind of eyes he pleases." 
 
 " Very good! ' Well, any woman who looks 
 at Bijou can see that she is delightful to be- 
 hold. "Why should not an abbe perceive this 
 fact also?" 
 
 " Poor abbe! You don't like him!" 
 
 "I? Oh! You know, I think, that priests 
 are made for churches, not for homes. With 
 this reservation I like your abbe as well as 
 other abbes. I like him negatively. I respect 
 him." 
 
 Bertrade began to laugh and said in caress- 
 ing tones: 
 
 ""It doesn't look like it. You are constantly 
 tormenting him." 
 
 " I tease him — as I tease you all." 
 
 " Yes, but we are used to it; while he " 
 
 "Well, I shall tease him no more. I shall 
 be careful, but you can't imagine how much it 
 will annoy me — I who am so fond of freedom 
 of speech. Such an absurd idea of yours to 
 engage an abbe for your children!" 
 
 "It was Paul's. He was most anxious that 
 the children should -^be educated by a priest — 
 at least in the beginning. He is very relig- 
 ious,"
 
 6 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "But I also am very religious, and that is 
 the very reason why I would never have had a 
 priest for a tutor. Yes. If he is an intelli- 
 gent man, you divert for the benefit of one, 
 two, or more children, but in point of fact for a 
 small number, an intellect whose professed 
 occupation and whose true destiny was to di- 
 rect a flock, to instruct, to pardon, to comfort 
 creatures who in the majority of cases are more 
 interesting than ourselves. If he is a block- 
 head he will devote himself to conscientiously 
 deforming the little being who is confided to 
 his care. And in either case you are respon- 
 sible for the evil that you do or the good that 
 you prevent being done. Come! let me look at 
 Bijou. That will amuse me more than talking 
 about your abbe!" 
 
 And the marchioness pointed to her grand- 
 daughter, who was coming in like an animated 
 basket of flowers. 
 
 Denyse de Courtaix, nicknamed Bijou, was 
 a wonderful little creature, lissome and slen- 
 der, yet withal a mass of dim'ples, with large 
 violet eyes, limpid and deep; a straight nose, 
 slightly turned up at the end; a tiny mouth, 
 very red, with the corners gayly raised, show- 
 ing the short teeth of a milky whiteness. Her 
 soft and silky hair was of that blond cendre, 
 now almost a thing of the past. Her tiny ears 
 were tinted like pink mother-of-pearl. These
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 7 
 
 tints not only reappeared in her cheeks, but in 
 her forehead, her neck, and her hands, and 
 their bright rosy Ulster irradiated the entire 
 skin. Her dark, delicately penciled eyebrows 
 nearly met across the pure, intelligent fore- 
 head; they alone indicated that this frail and 
 pretty creature had a strong will of her own. 
 
 Bijou, who appeared to be about fifteen or 
 •sixteen years old, had attained her majority 
 eight days before, but her whole delicate and 
 dainty person exhaled an aroma of childhood 
 and spotless purity. Her charm, however, so 
 penetrating and subtle, was rather that of a 
 woman, and this contrast rendered Bijou per- 
 plexing and rare. The result was that she 
 turned the heads of the men, pleased the wom- 
 en, and was adored by everybody. 
 
 As soon as she entered the hall, blooming as 
 a rose in the pinkish cloud of her muslin gown, 
 and suspended from her neck, with pink rib- 
 bons as well, a sort of market-basket overflow- 
 ing with roses, every one surrounded her, 
 rejoicing in the atmosphere of gayety that ac- 
 companied her and that pervaded the spacious 
 hall, somewhat somber and empty before her 
 advent. 
 
 Paul de Rueille, who was playing billiards 
 with his brother-in-law, Henry de jBracieux, 
 came and asked for a rose from the basket 
 while Henry following him took one without
 
 8 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 asking. The little De Eueilles, abandoning 
 the abb6, who went on calling off the lotto 
 numbers in a monotonous tone, made one 
 bound toward the young girl and hung on to 
 her with all their strength. Their mother 
 called them back. 
 
 " Do let Bijou alone. You are hurting her!" 
 " Robert! Marcel! come back here!" said the 
 abb6, who arose. 
 Bijou protested. 
 
 "Oh, no! Let them alone. I like it!" 
 She took the basket off from her neck and 
 went and placed it on the billiard-table, then 
 suddenly stopping, exclaimed : 
 
 " Ah! no. I must consider the carom." 
 Henry de Bracieux murmured almost with 
 emotion : 
 
 " Isn't she lovely? She thinks of every- 
 thing." 
 
 "Come and kiss me, Bijou," said the 
 marchioness. 
 
 Denyse had just placed her basket on a 
 divan. She selected a full-blown rose and ran 
 to her grandmother, whom she kissed re- 
 peatedly, in coaxing child-like fashion, then 
 offering her the rose exclaimed: 
 
 " It's the most beautiful of them all!" 
 The tones of her voice were rather high, 
 perhaps, but young r.nd clear, and the enun- 
 ciation was admirably distinct.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 9 
 
 "Have you seen Pierrot?" inquired the 
 marchioness. 
 
 " Pierrot ?" replied Bijou, pausing as if to 
 reflect. "Oh! yes, I have seen him. He 
 even came for a moment to help me pick my 
 flowers, and then he went off to rejoin his 
 father, who is shooting rabbits in the little 
 woods." 
 
 " I might have known it. That child never 
 does anything!" 
 
 " But, grandmother, this is his vacation." 
 
 " Well, granting it is his vacation, it is none 
 the less true that if he were given a tutor, it 
 was natural that he should work." 
 
 "But he really ought to have a little rest 
 once in awhile, poor Pierrot, and his tutor 
 also." 
 
 ' ' They never have anything else. However, 
 if my brother knows it and approves " 
 
 "He quite approves to-day, for it was he 
 who told them to go and look for him in the 
 woods." 
 
 "Who said anything about ^/tem.?" inquired 
 the old woman in a mocking tone. "Ah! 
 was the tutor also picking roses?" 
 
 "Yes," said Denyse with her frank, sweet 
 smile and without noticing her grandmother's 
 sarcastic tones, " he was picking roses too." 
 
 The marchioness replied, glancing at a tall 
 young man who was just coming in:
 
 10 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " It probably amused him more than shoot- 
 ing rabbits, for if he went to join your uncle 
 in the woods he didn't stay with him very 
 long." 
 
 "Surely, no!" said Bijou, in surprise. 
 
 Leaving her grandmother, she went up to 
 the young man and said: 
 
 "Didn't you find my uncle. Monsieur 
 Girand ?" 
 
 He grew very red. 
 
 "Yes, mademoiselle — yes. We found Mon- 
 sieur de Jonzae quite easily. Only I— I had 
 to comeback to correct Pierrot's exercises." 
 
 Wishing to explain, doubtless, his coming 
 into the hall, he continued, with a slight 
 embarrassment: 
 
 "And — 1 came to see if I had left my 
 books here. I thought — but I don't see them. " 
 
 As he was going out, without taking his 
 eyes off of Bijou, the marchioness, with an 
 indulgent and amused air, called him back. 
 
 "Are you not going to stay hei'e and 
 smoke. Monsieur Girand ? Is there any hurry 
 about the correction of those exercises?" 
 
 "No, madarae," said the tutor quickly, 
 " there is no hurry at all." 
 
 The old woman leaned over to Madame de 
 Rueille, who was silently working on an ad- 
 mirable piece of tapestry, and smilingly ob- 
 served to her:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 11 
 
 " This one is not like your abb6." 
 
 Bertrade raised her pretty head and replied 
 seriously: 
 
 " No!" 
 
 " You seem to pity him." 
 
 " I do indeed." 
 
 "And why?" 
 
 " Because this nice boy who came here fif- 
 teen days ago as gay as a lark, and who has 
 made himself liked by us all, will leave here 
 sad and unhappy, with his heart full of grief 
 or bitterness." 
 
 "Oh, you^ always look on the darkest side. 
 He thinks Bijou is a little love. He admires 
 her — he likes to be near her, and there is an 
 end of it." 
 
 " You know very well, grandmother, that 
 Bijou is adorable, and so attractive that every 
 one loses his head." 
 
 Here the marchioness drew attention to her 
 grandnephew De Blaye, who since he had left 
 the window seemed unconscious of everything 
 that was going on around him, and rather in- 
 dignantly observed: 
 
 "Everyone? Not every one. Look at Jean. 
 He is as blind as the abbe." 
 
 With impassive features, motionless in his 
 easy-chair, Jean de Blaye appeared to be 
 dreaming, with a far-off look in his eyes. The 
 young woman regarded him and replied:
 
 1^ BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "I fear it is a feigned blindness." 
 
 "Oh, nonsense," said Madame de Bracieux, 
 who was charmed at the idea. "You think 
 that Bijou could interest Jean sufficiently to 
 make him forget even for a little while his 
 amusements, his horses, his theaters, his stupid 
 life? Do you really think so?" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "Since when?" 
 
 "Just now. He told us with such convic- 
 tion that he didn't care to be reminded of 
 Paris that I was sure that he meant what he 
 said. Then I asked myself what could have 
 caused him to forget it. I searched — and I 
 have found out." 
 
 " Bijou?" 
 
 "Exactly." 
 
 "So much the better if that is so; but it 
 doesn't appear so to me. He doesn't notice 
 her." 
 
 "When he is observed." 
 
 " He seems sad — preoccupied." 
 
 " One would be, naturally. Jean never does 
 things by halves. If he falls in love — I mean 
 seriously — he will love violently, and if he is 
 violently in love with Bijou or perceives that 
 he is likely to be, there is no cause for rejoic- 
 ing. He cannot, no matter how much he may 
 wish to, marry Bijou, can he? Not only be- 
 cause he is her cousin, but still more, as he 
 hasn't the requisite fortune."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 13 
 
 " He has about 500,000 francs. Bijou has 
 200,000, to which I shall add 100,000— that 
 makes 300,000; total between them, 800,000 
 francs." 
 
 " Well, don't you see that Bijou with an in- 
 come of 80,000 francs " 
 
 "No. I am perfectly sure that she would 
 think that quite enough. She makes her own 
 dresses — one always says that, but in this case 
 it is true. She is industrious and clever and 
 understands how to superintend a household 
 wonderfully well, as for the last four years she 
 has looked after everything both here and in 
 Paris. But I am the one who could never re- 
 sign myself to the idea of a mediocre existence 
 for her, and that's what she would have de- 
 cidedly. God forbid that she should go and 
 fall in love with Jean!" 
 
 "Oh! I don't think it at all likely!" 
 
 " For the creature is charming, and as it 
 appears very much liked." 
 
 ■' Very much. But Bijou is so flattered, so 
 surrounded, so adored that she hasn't much 
 leisure to love any one but herself." 
 
 " And then she is such a child." 
 
 And the marchioness regarded her grand- 
 daughter with infinite tenderness. 
 
 Standing near the billiard-table. Bijou was 
 watching the game and laughing and teasing 
 the players. A few steps from her, motion-
 
 14 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 less, the young professor was contemplating 
 her with ecstatic eye. Suddenly Jean de Blaye 
 arose quickly and with an irritated air walked 
 to the door that opened on the outside stair- 
 case. 
 
 ' ' Wait a moment !" cried Denyse. ' ' Wait till 
 I give you a rose!" 
 
 She leaned over the basket and picked out a 
 yellow rose not quite half -blown, and came 
 and put it in her cousin's button-hole. 
 
 " There!" said she, drawing back with a sat- 
 isfied smile, '' You look very nice now." 
 
 Then going up to the tutor she said, with a 
 delightfully graceful and kittenish air: 
 
 "Monsieur Giraud, will you have a rose 
 too?" 
 
 . And as, overcome and almost trembling, the 
 young man strove, without success, to put the 
 flower in his button-hole, she took it away 
 from him very gently. 
 
 ' ' You don't know how. Let me arrange it, 
 will you?" 
 
 He was so tall that to reach him she had to 
 stand on her toes; then she slipped in the 
 flower slowly, with extreme care, and when 
 she had finished, sweetly smiling and patting 
 the shining lapel of the poor jacket, now quite 
 destitute of form or color, she cried: 
 
 " There! Now it is perfectly lovely!" 
 
 Her eyes illumined with love, the marchion-
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 15 
 
 ess gazed at her grandchild, then said to Ber- 
 trade, who also seemed to be admiring her 
 cousin: 
 
 "Ah! isn't she perfectly charming!" 
 
 Madame de Rueille looked at the young 
 tutor, who, quite pale, had remained standing 
 in the middle of the hall, and answered sadly: 
 
 "Poor boy!" 
 
 "Again? Why, really, Monsieur Giraud 
 seems to interest you a good deal!" 
 
 "He does. I have a leaning to sad, sensi- 
 tive natures, as I chance to be cheerful." 
 
 "Oh! you are cheerful, are you? You have 
 just said that Jean's blindness was feigned. 
 Well, I consider that your cheerfulness is 
 equally feigned — cheerful when you are ob- 
 served!" 
 
 Without answering, the young woman glanced 
 at Bijou. 
 
 "She is really gay and cheerful. Look at 
 her, grandmother!" 
 
 Bijou having divided some of the flowers 
 among the children, turned to the Abbe Cour- 
 teil and said: 
 
 "1 want to decorate you, too. Monsieur 
 I'Abbe. Look! Now, isn't this a beautiful 
 rose? Ah! there never was one more beauti- 
 ful." 
 
 And she handed him a huge thorny, thickly 
 leaved rose, resembling a cabbage.
 
 16 BIJOU'S COUllTSUIP. 
 
 The abb6, who had arisen and was still hold- 
 ing the bag containing the lotto counters, drew 
 back in alarm and murmured brokenly: 
 
 " Mademoiselle, it is a superb flower, only I 
 shouldn't know where to put it. The button- 
 hole in my cassock is very small. The stem 
 would never fit in it. I am very grateful to 
 you, mademoiselle — I am very much touched — 
 but there is no place for it. " 
 
 She laughed and answered: 
 
 "There is a place in your belt. Monsieur 
 I'Abbe — there — see. One would say that it 
 was made for it!" 
 
 Standing far back, she pushed the long stem 
 of the flower into the belt of the cassock. He 
 bowed awkwardly, and trying to express his 
 gratitude exclaimed: 
 
 '' I thank you, mademoiselle, for your kind- 
 ness. I am very much touched — very much 
 touched indeed." 
 
 Every movement caused the rose to droop 
 over the belt, that was much too lose and limp 
 for it, so that it bobbed up and down absurd- 
 ly, standing out in bold relief against the cas- 
 sock, which hung in spiral curves around the 
 abbe's meager form. 
 
 "When she had decorated everybody Bijou 
 declared: 
 
 " Now T am going to arrange my baskets." 
 
 " Where?" asked Monsieur de Rueille.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 17 
 
 " Why, in the dining-room, in the drawing- 
 room, in the vestibule — here, everywhere!" 
 
 Several voices cried : 
 
 " We are going to help you!" 
 
 "Oh! indeed you're not. Instead of help- 
 iiUT rne you will only bother me awfully!" 
 
 She took up her basket again and went out, 
 gay and rosy in the flying cloud of her skirts, 
 as rosy as herself. And when she had disap- 
 peared a veil of sadness fell over the large 
 hall. No one spoke. Nothing could be heard 
 but the clicking of the balls and the rustling 
 of the counters, which the abbe was still shak- 
 ing methodically, observing system in this as 
 in everything. At last Henry de Bracieux 
 said: 
 
 "Grandmother, you ought never to allow 
 Bijou to drop us like that, particularly at 
 Bracieux, because at Paris one can manage; 
 but here when she leaves us we are lost. She 
 is the sunbeam that illumines all the house." 
 
 The marchioness shrugged her shoulders. 
 
 "You are talking nonsense. You forget 
 that before long Bijou will ' drop ' us, as you 
 so elegantly express it, for good and all." 
 
 " What! is she going to be married?" 
 
 "Dear me! I hope so." 
 
 "Have you any one in view?" asked Mon- 
 sieur de Pvueille, with an air of displeasure. 
 
 "No, no one at all. But, then, some one
 
 18 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 may present himself any day. No one here 
 would answer for Bijou, but it is likely that 
 
 in Paris this winter " 
 
 Henry de Bracieux, a handsome youth of 
 twenty-five, who strongly resembled his sister 
 Bortrade, listened with contracted brows and 
 a serious face. He missed making an easy 
 carOm, and as his brother-in-law expressed 
 some surprise he exclaimed: 
 
 "Ah, yut! It is too hot to play billiards. I 
 am going to sleep in the hammock." 
 
 His sister looked at him as he went out and 
 fiiurmured in the marchioness' ear: 
 
 "He, too!" 
 
 The old woman replied with some vexation: 
 
 " Bijou cannot very well marry all the 
 family. But we must stop talking — here 
 she is!" 
 
 And in fact the delicate outline of the 
 young girl's figure appeared at the door which 
 opened on the exterior staircase. Without 
 entering she asked: 
 
 "How many people for dinner on Friday, 
 grandmother?" 
 
 " Dear me! I haven't counted them. There 
 are the La Balues " 
 
 " That makes four." 
 
 " The Jugencourts " 
 
 "Six." 
 
 " Little Bernfes— ^"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 19 
 
 "Seven." 
 
 " Madame de Nezel " 
 
 "Eight." 
 
 " That's all." 
 
 " And we are ten, to begin with. That 
 makes eighteen. We might have twenty. 
 Will you invite the Dubuissons, grandmother? 
 It will give me so much pleasure to have 
 Jeanne." 
 
 " I should like nothing better. I'll go and 
 write to them now." 
 
 ,"It isn't worth while. I have to go to' 
 Pout-sur-Loire for some shopping, and I will 
 invite them. " 
 
 "What! my poor little dear! You are go- 
 ing to town in all this heat?" 
 
 "I really ought to see about the dinner. 
 To-day is Tuesday, and then I have to see 
 Mother Eaf ut and engage her for several days. 
 I have no gowns, and there are the races, the 
 balls " 
 
 " Oh!" said the marchioness, with some 
 annoyance, " are you going to have that horrid 
 old woman here again?" 
 
 " She is such an honest woman and she does 
 such good work. " 
 
 "Possibly; but I don't like her looks." 
 
 "Oh, grandmother, it is true that she isn't 
 pretty, but Mother Rafut is old and poor. 
 One doesn't make much money when one is a
 
 20 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 dresser at the Pont-sur-Loire theater at night 
 and goes out sewing by the day to some of the 
 houses in town. Old age and poverty do not 
 improve one's looks. And then she suits me 
 so well; and as she is very badly paid by the 
 actresses, or not paid at all, she is so happy 
 to be here, well paid, well fed, and well 
 treated." 
 
 She was standing behind Madame de 
 Bracieux's easy -chair, and she added coax- 
 ingly, winding her pretty pink arms around 
 her neck: 
 
 "It is a charity, grandmother — an act of 
 charity, not only to Mother Kafut, but to me." 
 
 The marchioness replied: 
 
 " You may have your frightful old woman 
 — have her as long as you please!" 
 
 " Then an I'evoi?', a tantotP'' 
 
 " How are you going down there — in the 
 victoria?" 
 
 " No— in the village cart. I shall go more 
 quickly. I can go in the village cart in twenty- 
 five minutes." 
 
 " And you are going to drive ?" 
 
 " Why, yes, grandmother." 
 
 " In this heat ? You will have a sunstroke!" 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille then proposed: 
 
 "Would you like me to drive you, Bijou? 
 I have to buy some tobacco, some powder, and 
 two fishing-rods to replace those that Pierrot
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 21 
 
 has broken. I shall be delighted to go to 
 town." 
 
 *' And I enchanted to have you drive me." 
 
 " When shall we leave ?" 
 
 " At once, if you please !" 
 
 As they were going out the marchioness 
 cried after them: 
 
 "Don't go too fast down the hills ! Take 
 care not to have any accidents !" 
 
 And Bijou answered laughingly: 
 
 " Don't worry, grandmother. Nothing ever 
 happens to me 1"
 
 22 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 n. 
 
 As they were driving through Pont-sur- 
 Loire that evening on their return to Bracieux, 
 Monsieur de Rueille said to Denyse: 
 
 " Well, do you know, my little Bijou, that 
 one does not pass unnoticed when one is with 
 you ? Ah, no, indeed !" 
 
 She looked at the passers-by, who were 
 turning around to gaze after her with manifest 
 interest, and replied: 
 
 " It is my pink gown that " 
 
 " No, it isn't your gown at all. They are 
 looking at you !" 
 
 Her large violet eyes opened still wider as 
 she asked: 
 
 "At me? But why?" 
 
 " Oh ! little Bijou, it isn't right for you to 
 try to deceive your old cousin!" 
 
 With a still more mystified air she ques- 
 tioned : 
 
 "I try to deceive?" 
 
 " Dame ! It looks like it ! It isn't possible 
 that you don't know how pretty you are ? In 
 the first place, you have eyes Then they tell 
 you often enough for "
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. )iS 
 
 "They tell me? Who do you mean tells 
 me?" 
 
 " Why, everybody ! Even I, vi'ho am almost 
 your uncle, and also almost venerable." 
 
 " 'Almost my uncle,' no, as Bertrode hap- 
 pens to be my fii-st cousin; and as to being 
 'almost venerable ' " 
 
 She stopped a moment and burst out laugh- 
 ing. 
 
 " You flatter yourself." 
 
 " Alas ! no ! I am nearly forty- two." 
 
 She regarded him with a surprised air and 
 said: 
 
 "Dear me! You don't look it!" 
 
 "Thank you! There! Do j'ou see how all 
 the natives are staring at you? I can assure 
 you. Bijou, that when I come here by myself 
 to do my shopping they don't look at me with 
 so much eagerness." 
 
 "But I tell you it is the pink gown that 
 astonishes them." 
 
 "^Why should it astonish them? You often 
 come to Pont-sur-Loire and you are always in 
 pink." 
 
 Since she had left off mourning for her 
 parents, who had been dead for four years, 
 Denyse had always worn pink. She said it 
 was because her grandmother liked to see her 
 in it. In any case, a very faint, delicate pink, 
 the sort of fallen-rose-leaf effect that she
 
 24 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 always wore and that was precisely the tint of 
 her skin, was wonderfully becoming to her. 
 In damp or cold weather she always wore long 
 dark cloaks that entirely concealed her figure, 
 and when she emergnd from these somber 
 coverings, rosy and fresh as a flower, she dif- 
 fused an atmosphere of light and radiance. 
 Her gowns were of batiste, muslin, and wool, 
 materials comparatively cheap. The most 
 that she ever permitted herself was some little 
 taffetas or foulard. And what simplicity of 
 form! Always the same little pleated blouses, 
 the same plain skirts; never the slightest 
 ornament, hardly even in winter some light 
 little cape of fur. 
 
 After appearing to reflect for a moment 
 she said: 
 
 "You are right! I always do wear pink. 
 Do you think it is ugly?" 
 
 " Ugly? Great heavens! I think it is most 
 fascinating. I repeat. Bijou, that if I were not 
 such an old man I should be making love to 
 you all the time!" 
 
 "You are not an old man!" 
 
 " Thank you again. But if you don't think 
 I am exactly an old man, which in fact is open 
 to dispute, at least I am a married man." 
 
 "That is true, and so much the better for 
 you; for there are no men more stupid and 
 annoying than those who make love."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 25 
 
 ** Then you must see a fearful lot of stupid 
 and annoying people." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Because every one makes love to you, 
 more or less." 
 
 " Why, no. Think for a moment. I have 
 been isolated like a savage; for while papa and 
 mamma were alive they were always ill and I 
 was shut up with them, never seeing a soul, 
 and it isn't quite four years now since I have 
 seen any people." 
 
 " Oh, yes. Quite enough of them, I should 
 say." 
 
 " One would think that it displeased you." 
 
 She glanced sideways at Rueille, her eyes 
 gleaming between the half-closed lids, while 
 he answered, growing rather nervous despite 
 his efforts: 
 
 "Displeased me? And why? Have I any- 
 thing to do with your life? Have I any au- 
 thority where you are concerned?" 
 
 " Which means that if you had any author- 
 ity?" 
 
 "Well, it is true there are many changes 
 and reforms I should make — that I should 
 advise, I mean to say." 
 
 "For example?" 
 
 " For instance, I would not allow you, if I 
 were your grandmother, to be so charming — 
 so gracious to every one. I should like to keep
 
 26 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 you for myself a little more — to prevent you 
 from giving so much of yourself to strangers." 
 
 Thoughtfully and almost sadly she replied: 
 
 " Well, perhaps you are right." 
 
 *' Particularly as we shall have you to our- 
 selves for so short a time." 
 
 Her great, sweet, innocent eyes stared at 
 Paul de Rueille, who resumed: 
 
 " You will marry soon — you will leave 
 us " 
 
 Bijou began to laugh. 
 
 " How you go on! There is no question of 
 my marrying at present that I know of." 
 
 " None, in fact. At least I don't think so. 
 But on principle that is the all-important 
 question, and grandmother thinks of nothing 
 else." 
 
 " Oh, yes! But then I am not like her, for 
 I myself never think of it at all." 
 
 She added, suddenly growing serious: 
 
 *' Besides, my marriage is problematical." 
 
 •' Problematical?" 
 
 *'^ Mon Dieu, yes. In the first place, I wish 
 to be married by a person who cares for me." 
 
 "Well, don't worry. You won't have any 
 trouble about that." 
 
 She concluded, and her clear voice grew 
 almost grave: 
 
 *' I should also like to care for him." 
 
 " You will care for him. One always likes 
 one's husband, and he will be happy."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 27 
 
 " Who do you mean?" 
 
 " The man whom you will love." 
 
 " I hope so. I should do my best to make 
 him so." 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille seemed irritated and 
 cross, and said, as if he wished to discourage 
 this dream of Deuyse: 
 
 " Yes, but suppose you should never meet 
 such a person?" 
 
 " Well, then, I should ' dress Saint Cather- 
 ine's hair;' that's all there is about it. But I 
 don't see why I shouldn't meet him. I don't 
 ask for impossibilities, after all. " 
 
 In a teasing and rather agressive tone 
 Rueille replied: 
 
 " Is it indiscreet to ask what you desire?" 
 
 "Oh! not the least in the world, for I can 
 only tell you what I have said before — ' I wish 
 to love him. ' Truly. I don't care for money. 
 I neither understand nor do I care for 
 money." 
 
 She turned toward her cousin, and looking 
 him straight in the face ended by saying: 
 
 "And so, do you see, I could very well 
 make such a marriage as Bertrode's." 
 
 " With another husband?" he murmured. 
 
 Without the least embarrassment she an- 
 swered sweetly and unafifectedly, her face 
 wreathed in smiles: 
 
 " Why, no! Why, no! I think the husband 
 is good enough."
 
 ^8 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille did not reply. He was 
 affected despite himself by the thought that 
 Bijou could have loved him. He found the 
 evening air delicious, and never had tlie rays 
 of the setting sun slowly sinking into the Loire 
 appeared to him more luminous. The little 
 cart was so narrow that each vibration caused 
 his elbow to brush the young girl's arm, while 
 the locks of her fine blond hair that had 
 escaped from the large straw hat swept his 
 burning cheek. 
 
 Bijou perceived his preoccupation and 
 laughingly observed: 
 
 " It seems to me that you are not listening 
 much to the description of my ' ideal.' " 
 
 "Why, yes!" 
 
 "Why, no! That reminds me: have we 
 executed all our commissions?" 
 
 She took a long list from her pocket and be- 
 gan to read it over: 
 
 " Ices. 
 
 " Little cakes. 
 
 "Fish. 
 
 "The Dubuissons. 
 
 " Speak to the butcher. 
 
 " Pink gauze. 
 
 " Mother Rafut. 
 
 " Hat. 
 
 ' ' Pierrot's books, 
 
 " Henry's cartridges."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP, <jy 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille, who was looking over 
 the list, asked: 
 
 '"What! Henry asked you to bring back his 
 cartridges instead of speaking to me about 
 it?" 
 
 "Yes. The time before last you forgot 
 them, and the last time you brought him 12 
 caliber cartridges when he wanted 16. So he 
 preferred " 
 
 "I understand. But they impose upon 
 you, and the children have imposed on you 
 too — 'Marcel's balloon' — 'pencils for Robert.' 
 Fred is the only one who hasn't given you any 
 commissions. But you mustn't despair — he is 
 only three years old. You will have them 
 next year." 
 
 " He didn't give me any commissions, but I 
 have brought him some pictures — ' Puss in 
 Boots.' He adores cats — this will amuse 
 him." 
 
 " How delightful you are!" 
 
 "Delightful? Is that saying quite enough? 
 Couldn't you think of something a little more 
 eulogistic? Let us see — if you were to try 
 hard?" 
 
 She went on looking over the list. 
 
 Paul de Rueille pointed with the handle of 
 his whip to a line written in pencil and 
 asked: 
 
 "What is that — 'Tell grandmother that La 
 Norini^re?"
 
 30 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Oh! I .met the Juzncourts, and they 
 begged me particularly to tell grandmother 
 that La Noriniere is going to be occupied." 
 
 "Ah! Clagny has sold it?" 
 
 "No, but he is coming back. It appears 
 that he intends coming here every summer. " 
 
 "Ah! So much the better. This is going 
 to give your grandmother a great deal of 
 pleasui'e. " 
 
 " Yes. She likes him so much. I don't 
 know Monsieur de Clagny, but I have very 
 often heard him spoken of." 
 
 "Don't you remember seeing him for- 
 merly?" 
 
 "Why, no." 
 
 *' He was your godfather, however." 
 
 " You are dreaming. Uncle Alexis was my 
 godfather." 
 
 " Uncle Jonzas is the godfather of Denyse, 
 but Monsieur de Clagny is the godfather of 
 'Bijou.' Yes, it was he who, when you were 
 quite little, used to say in speaking of you, 
 'the bijou,' and the name suited you so well 
 that it has clung to you." 
 
 " Don't you think that it is rather ridicu- 
 lous to call me Bijou now that I am old?" 
 
 " You look as if you were fourteen, and you 
 always will, I can promise you." 
 
 ' ' Are you not going a little too far, per- 
 haps?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. JJl 
 
 She looked at him and laughed. He also 
 gazed at her, unable to look away from the 
 fresh, pretty face that was turned toward him, 
 and as he was paying no attention to the short 
 cut in the road, which was in a very bad con- 
 dition, the right wheel stuck in a rut and the 
 little cart half fell over, throwing Denyse on 
 top of him, who hung on to him with all the 
 strength of her arm. They remained suspended 
 for a moment, when the wheel worked its way 
 out as well as it could of the deep hole where 
 it had stuck, and the horse resumed his rapid 
 pace. 
 
 " Ouf !" said Bijou, who was laughing with 
 all her might. " I really thought that we 
 were going to tip over!" 
 
 He replied quite seriously: 
 
 " We very nearly did." 
 
 She loosened her little fingers, that had been 
 buried in her cousin's shoulder, and asked: 
 
 " Have you really finished? I hope you are 
 not going to begin again." 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille regarded her without 
 answering, preoccupied and unnerved, and 
 she resumed : 
 
 " But instead of looking at me, look sti-aight 
 before you or we shall get caught in another 
 rut. You see if we don't." 
 
 But he only murmured in a low tone: 
 
 "Why, no — why, no."
 
 3^ BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 He spoke as if he were dreaming, and Bijou 
 said: 
 
 *'I bet that we shall be late for dinner, and 
 you know grandmother doesn't like it." 
 
 Eueille with his whip lightly touched the 
 pony on the shoulder, which made him leap 
 forward and then break into a mad gallop. 
 
 Bijou now seemed confounded. 
 
 "What on eartli," questioned she, "is the 
 matter with you to-day? A moment ago you 
 nearly tipped us over, and now you are touch- 
 ing Colonel with the whip, when you shouldn't 
 even let him think that you had any." 
 
 She added, seeing that the horse was quiet- 
 ing down: 
 
 " Or very nearly. You're not yourself at 
 all." 
 
 He replied mechanically: 
 
 "No, I am not myself." 
 
 At the first jump of the pony Denyse had 
 again seized Monsieur de Rueille's arm. Not 
 that she was the least in the world afraid, but 
 because, seated on the little bench that was too 
 high for her, she had no security and tried to 
 hang on to something firm. Leaning toward 
 her cousin, she asked with interest: 
 
 "Not yourself? What is the matter with 
 you? Are you ill?" 
 
 "lU? No!" 
 
 " For you mustn't be ill. We have to work
 
 BIJOU»S COURTSHIP. 33 
 
 on the review this evening, and if you don't 
 try your best it will never be finished in time 
 for the race ball." 
 
 "I am getting a little tired of the review, 
 and if I were you '' 
 
 He stopped short, embarrassed, and Bijou 
 asked: 
 
 "What? What is it? You were going to 
 say something ?" 
 
 " Yes, in fact I wanted to tell you that the 
 design that Jean has made for your — for the 
 costume of Hebe " 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Well, this costume isn't sufficiently 
 draped." 
 
 "But it is." 
 
 " Come, now! Ought a woman — a young girl 
 like you to appear like that ? Why, it isn't 
 nice." 
 
 Bijou regarded Paul de Rueille with an 
 amazed air. Then laughing in his face cried : 
 
 "Oh! How funny you are! You act ex- 
 actly like a jealous husband!" 
 
 He murmured, vexed and ill at ease: 
 
 "Jealous? I have no right to be jealous. 
 I " 
 
 " Of course! But without being jealous you 
 men don't like that a woman should seem 
 pretty or graceful or amusing to any one but 
 yourselves."
 
 34 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Well, admitting that such is the case, it's 
 natural enough." 
 
 "You think so? ^Yell, a woman, on the 
 contrary, is glad to have the men whom she 
 likes admired. It pleases her to see them 
 please others." 
 
 '■'■Turlittutu! You don't know what you're 
 talking about." 
 
 They remained for a moment without saying 
 a word, she tranquil and smiling, he serious 
 and troubled. Just as the carriage was enter- 
 ing the avenue Bijou turned to Monsieur de 
 Rueille, and touching him, this time very 
 gently, with her soft hand, she said, in a pene- 
 trating voice, which completely upset him: 
 
 "Since it displeases you so much I won't 
 wear that costume. We will make Jean design 
 another." 
 
 He seized the hand that was leaning on his 
 arm and pressed it violently to his lips. 
 
 Bijou appeared not to observe the transport 
 and only said, drawing back her hand, while 
 between her lashes there shone a strange light: 
 
 "Look out for the gate. There's a sharp 
 turn, you know. You are not in luck to-day!" 
 
 Then she began quietly to gather up all her 
 little parcels, and until they reached the castle 
 remained silent and absorbed. 
 
 The first dinner-gong was sounding. Bijou 
 ran up to her room, and ten minutes after-
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 35 
 
 ward she entered the drawing-room perfectly 
 dressed in a fresh gown of rose-leaf chiffon, 
 and on the shoulders a large bunch of roses. 
 
 " What! Here already," said Madame de 
 Rueille in admiration. " I bet that child Paul 
 isn't ready yet." 
 
 " Have you executed all your commissions?" 
 inquired the marchioness. 
 
 "Yes, grandmother, and I have a message 
 for you. The Jurzancourts charged me to 
 tell you that Monsieur de Clagny is coming 
 back to live at Noriniere and that he will come 
 every year." 
 
 "Oh!" said Madame de Bracieux with a 
 thoroughly pleased air — " oh! that gives me a 
 great deal of pleasure. I never hoped to see 
 him back in this country." 
 
 "Why?" inquired Bijou. 
 
 ' ' Because he had a great sorrow here, at an 
 age when painful impressions are never ef- 
 faced." 
 
 "At what age, aunt?" said Jean de Blaye 
 rather sarcastically. 
 
 "Forty-eight. You will be less of a cynic 
 at that age, my boy, and you will reach it 
 sooner than you think." 
 
 "So much the better," he answered smil- 
 ingly. " It ought to be the ideal age — the age 
 when the heart slumbers." 
 
 "It slumbers sooner sometimes," replied
 
 36 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 the marchioness sarcastically, regarding her 
 nephew : 
 
 Jean shrugged his shoulders and observed: 
 
 "Yes, but it wakes again. Or, it, maybe 
 reawaken. One can never be sure, while at 
 forty-eight." 
 
 " You think so ? My old friend Clagny was 
 forty-eight years old twelve years ago, so 
 he must be sixty now. Well, I wager that 
 his heart has neve" slumbered — never. Do 
 you understand ?" 
 
 Jean began to laugh and exclaimed: 
 
 "■^ Bigre! "^jy, he is a phenomenon, your 
 friend. He '^'ould make a good deal of money 
 by exhibiting himself." 
 
 " He has no need of it." 
 
 "Is he rich?" 
 
 "Awfully." 
 
 ' * How rici. ■ 
 
 "Four hundred thousand a year. Don't 
 you think that is nice ?" 
 
 " Yes, decidedly nice for anyone who hasn't 
 stolen it." 
 
 Then he inquired : 
 
 " What was this great t:rief that he had ?" 
 
 " I will tell you when Bijou isn't here." 
 
 Bijou, however, couldn't have heard any- 
 thing. She was playing with Pierrot, who 
 had just come in, and was trying to part his 
 hair for him.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 37 
 
 Pierrot, a great overgrown boy of seventeen 
 and a vigorous youth who had shot up too 
 quickly, with long feet, long hands, and a 
 forehead covered with unnatural bumps, was 
 stooping over so that the young girl could reach 
 up to his bushy acd lusterless locks. With his 
 neck stretched for'vard and a vague look in 
 his eyes he seemed to be enjoying the soft 
 touch of her small, skillful fingers. 
 
 Suddenly Denyse turnevi toward the mar- 
 chioness and exclaimed: 
 
 "Grandmother, I had forgotten — the Du- 
 buissons cannot come to dinnei n Thursday, 
 but Monsieur Dubuisson will briug Jeane on 
 Friday and leave her here for eight days." 
 
 " Then we are only eighteen for dinner." 
 
 "We are still twenty, because I saw the 
 Ivurielles and I asked them for you. I thought 
 that " 
 
 " You did perfectly right." 
 
 " Oh !" said Bertrode, " the Ivurielles with 
 the Juzencourts! Now we shall be bored with 
 stories of William the Conqueror and Charles 
 the Bold." 
 
 Bijou cried out laughingly: 
 
 "So much the better. In that way we 
 shall at least only hear them once." 
 
 Just as they were announcing dinner Mon- 
 sieur de Rueille entered, with a preoccupied 
 air and shining eyes. Silently he seated him- 
 self at the table and sat there without a word.
 
 38 BIJOU'S COURTSUIP. 
 
 III. 
 
 In the hall Bijou, aided by Pierrot, was 
 serving the coffee. Suddenly she darted away 
 in pursuit of Paul de Rueille, who had just 
 gone out of the drawing-room and was going 
 down the terrace stairs. 
 
 "Well! well! Where are you going now?" 
 cried she. 
 
 He answered without stopping: 
 
 " Why, to take a little walk and to breathe, 
 if it is possible, in such heat." 
 
 Bijou had already joined him. 
 
 "Ah! but no. There's the review. You 
 must come and work." 
 
 " I have a headache." 
 
 " It will cure you. You must come, posi- 
 tively. We haven't more than three days 
 now." 
 
 "But," said Rueille, irritated, "I am not 
 indispensable." 
 
 "Oh, nonsense! You are the one who 
 writes." 
 
 " Under dictation. To do that doesn't re- 
 quire an adept." 
 
 " Yes! We are used to you." 
 
 She was standing on the step above him,
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 39 
 
 and leaning over she threw her arms around 
 his neck and entreated him coaxingly. 
 
 " My little Paul, come, to give me pleasure. 
 It would be so nice of you — so nice!" 
 
 Monsieur de Eueille quickly unwound the 
 soft, fresh arms and answered in a harsh 
 voice: 
 
 " Very well! Very well! I'll come!" 
 
 The young girl drew back, and he could see 
 her great, surprised eyes shining in the clear 
 night. Then she said timidly: 
 
 " How rough you are! What is the matter 
 with you?" 
 
 As he did not answer she insisted: 
 
 " Won't you tell me?" 
 
 " Ah! no," said he dryly. 
 
 And going up the stairs he entered the 
 drawing-room. Bijou going in directly be- 
 hind him said to Bertrode: 
 
 •' I don't know what is the matter with your 
 husband. He's a perfect porcupine!" 
 
 Madame de Rueille looked at Paul, who with 
 a drawn face and nervous air was affecting to 
 talk and laugh noisily with the tutor, who re- 
 mained, however, reticent and silent. And 
 after having looked she replied, somewhat 
 anxious about her husband's strange manner: 
 
 " Something is surely the matter with him, 
 but I don't know what." 
 
 But Bijou, recurring to her first idea, ex- 
 claimed:
 
 40 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Just imagine— Paul wanted to go and 
 take a walk instead of working! Ah! didn't I 
 have a time getting him to come in!" 
 
 Kesigned to his fate, Monsieur de Eueille 
 had seated|himself at a marble-topped Empire 
 table. He took up the manuscript, opened it 
 where he had left off, and said, dipping a long 
 quill pen into the ink: 
 
 " Whenever you're ready." 
 
 "But in the first place where are you?" 
 inquired Monsieur de Jonzac. 
 
 " At scene third of the second act." 
 
 " Still ?" said Bijou in astonishment. 
 
 "Alas! still." 
 
 "My dear grandchildren, you will never 
 finish it," said the marchioness conclusively. 
 
 "Why, yes! Why, yes, grandmother!" said 
 Bijou gayly. " You shall see what a lot of fine 
 new work we are going to do. " 
 
 "Come! We are at the third scene of the 
 second act. It is where the poet-symbolist 
 defends himself from the rather malevolent 
 accusations brought against him by Venus." 
 
 As no one said anything, Monsieur de 
 Eueille asked: 
 
 "And then?" 
 
 "Then," explained Bijou, "according to 
 my ideas there ought to be a little verse. 
 What do you say about it, Jean ?" 
 
 With an] absorbed air, his head leaning
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 41 
 
 against the back of a large easy-chair, Jean, 
 who was far away in dreamland, did not hear 
 the question. 
 
 *' Are you asleep ?" cried Bijou. 
 
 Turning to her he inquired: 
 
 " Are you speaking to me ?" 
 
 " Mon Dieu ! yes. I have that honor. I 
 am asking you if a verse wouldn't come in 
 well here— a verse set to some well-known 
 air ?" 
 
 " Yes, very well," he replied vaguely. 
 
 " Good! Then compose one!" 
 
 Jean jumped up and exclaimed: 
 
 ' ' Must I do it ? But why should I ?" 
 
 " Because you are the one who always com- 
 poses them." 
 
 " There's a reason for you!" protested Jean. 
 " That is just why it is some one else's turn. 
 You have only got to set Henry to work, or 
 Uncle Alexis, or Monsieur Giraud, or even 
 Pierrot." 
 
 "Why, ' even?' " asked Pierrot with vexation. 
 " How do you know but that I can compose 
 verses quite as well as you?" 
 
 " Compose them, then. As for me, I've had 
 enough of it." 
 
 "Jean," said Bijou imploringly, "don't 
 leave us in the lurch, I beg of you." 
 
 And she walked toward him, her lips 
 advanced in a beseeching and droll little 
 pout.
 
 42 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille had seen the movement. 
 He got up quickly, and stopping her on the 
 way exclaimed: 
 
 "Oh, but he will compose your verses. 
 That's all he asks for. Go and sit down." 
 
 Denysc stood perfectly still in the middle of 
 the hall, amazed at this singular behavior. At 
 last she replied: 
 
 " But it is your place to go and sit down. 
 "Why do you leave your table?" 
 
 "Ah! haven't I the right to leave it without 
 permission?" 
 
 "Jean!" recommenced Bijou. "Come, 
 Jean!" 
 
 Again Monsieur de Rueille interposed and 
 said in a cutting tone: 
 
 " Why don't you get down on your knees to 
 him?" 
 
 ' Oh! dear me! I'd just as soon, if that can 
 decide him." 
 
 • She was flying toward her cousin, when 
 Monsieur de Rueille seized her by the arm, ex- 
 claiming angi'ily: 
 
 " Come, now! This is ridiculous!" 
 
 She murmured, looking at him in astonish- 
 ment: 
 
 " It is you who are ridiculous." 
 
 He replied in hard tones: 
 
 " Oh, yes, of course. It is I who must go 
 and sit down. It is I who am ridiculous. It
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 43 
 
 is I who am everything that I ought not to be 
 and who do everything I ought not to do." 
 
 "What is the matter now, my children?" 
 inquired Madame de Bracieux. 
 
 Monsieur de Jonzac, carefully tapping his 
 pipe against a piece of furniture in order to 
 knock out the ashes, then explained: 
 
 "Heaven forbid! it is Paul who is quarrel- 
 ing with Bijou." 
 
 "With Bijou?" said the old woman, over- 
 come with surprise. And Madame de Eueille 
 repeated, laying down the paper she was read- 
 ing: "Paul quarreling with Bijou? It isn't 
 possible!" 
 
 The Abbe Courteil, who was scandalized, 
 also affirmed: 
 
 " Indeed yes! Monsieur le Comte has been 
 scolding Mademoiselle Denyse." 
 
 " Come here, Bijou," said the marchioness. 
 
 The young girl ran and curled herself up on 
 a cushion at her grandmother's feet, while 
 Monsieur de Rueille went up to Jean and said 
 to him in an undertone: 
 
 " You ought to prevent Bijou from acting 
 like that with you." 
 
 "Like what? Ah! you are dreaming." 
 
 " I am not dreaming the least in the world. 
 After all, Denyse is twenty years old." 
 
 "Twenty-one." 
 
 "That makes it still worse. She ought to 
 behave better."
 
 44 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "But the poor child behaves beautifully," 
 said Jean, and added, looking straight at his 
 cousin: 
 
 "I don't know what on earth is the matter 
 with you!" 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille murmured with some 
 embarrassment: 
 
 " I am wrong — naturally I am wrong." 
 
 "Absolutely," said Blaye dryly, who then 
 arose. 
 
 On seeing him get up Bijou left the mar- 
 chioness, and running toward him cried: 
 
 "Oh! but you are not going away? Grand- 
 mother, forbid him to leave us." 
 
 " Come, Jean," said the marchioness, half- 
 amiably, hal f-scoldingly, "don't be such a 
 tease as all that." 
 
 The young man sat down again and as- 
 sumed a melancholy air, saying: 
 
 "And this is the country — repose — vaca- 
 tion! One works like a negro. One writes 
 reviews — reviews with verses in them. One 
 goes to bed regularly at two o'clock in the 
 morning. This is what is called ' seeking green 
 fields!' " 
 
 Pierrot, who appeared to be listening with 
 profound attention, observed sarcastically: 
 
 " Go on, old man. You interest me greatly." 
 And as Bijou laughed, Jean, with an air of 
 annoyance, turned to Pierrot.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 45 
 
 " You are very clever, little one." 
 Madame de Bracieux's voice could now be 
 heard. 
 
 " My children, you are unbearable." 
 She looked at them in surprise, asking herself 
 what war-cloud had suddenly arisen, not un- 
 derstanding any of these disagreeable speeches, 
 these hostile attitudes, that she was observing 
 for the first time. And again she called Bijou 
 to her, who seemed to be questioning every- 
 body, her great eyes full of surprise. 
 
 "Do you know what is the matter with 
 them?" 
 
 With an innocent and wondering air she re- 
 plied: 
 
 " I haven't the least idea, grandmother." 
 " Can't you see how they are going on?" 
 " Yes, but I don't know why. If it is on 
 account of the review let us give it up. Sim- 
 ply because the review amuses me — amuses 
 me greatly — I shouldn't like to make every one 
 miserable." 
 Monsieur de Rueille now exclaimed: 
 " Are we working? Yes or no. I have had 
 enough of being here waiting like a fool." 
 
 "Where are we?" asked Jean, with an air that 
 seemed to signify, " Since it must be, it must." 
 Eueille replied: 
 
 " You've already been told where we are^ 
 you've been told twice."
 
 46 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Bijou explained sweetly: 
 
 " Where the ipoet-symbolist has to answer 
 Venus." 
 
 "Ah! yes. I know now. She accuses him 
 of a lot of things and you want him to defend 
 himself.'' 
 
 "In a verse." 
 
 "I quite understand. Where are you go- 
 ing?" 
 
 '• I am going," said Bijou, who was crossing 
 the drawing-room, "to sit beside Monsieur 
 Giraud. He will not tease me." 
 
 The tutor blushed and made himself quite 
 small on the divan where he was seated. 
 Denyse slipped down near him and declared: 
 
 " We are listening." 
 
 Jean, who was twisting around a pencil and 
 a piece of paper, now asked: 
 
 "What is Venus' reply?" 
 
 While Monsieur de Rueille with an air of 
 indifference, was idly watching a moth flying 
 around the lamp in front of him, several voices 
 repeated in deafening tones: 
 
 " What is Venus' reply?" 
 
 Overcome by the racket and stopping up his 
 ears, he read: 
 
 " Thou knowest, I believe, 
 Not a word " 
 
 " Rub it out," said Jean, " and write, ' I do
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 47 
 
 not believe it at all, thou must know,' and now 
 the symbolist replies: 
 
 The soul of a symbolist, 
 
 If you but knew, 
 Is an amethyst jewel-case 
 
 Somber of hue, 
 Which a lock holds secure, 
 Formed of diamouds pure. 
 When once it is opened, then all is revealed. 
 For the treasure that lay there, unguessed and con- 
 cealed, 
 Bursts forth in its beauty, illumines the room, 
 And smiles on a lover's sad lips succeed gloom. 
 
 " Isn't it funny?" 
 
 ' ' Mon Dieu .'" said Jean, annoyed. ' ' I don't 
 say that it is a pure clief-d'cEavre. Bijou asks 
 me for a verse — I compose one for her as well 
 as I can. I don't hinder you from writing an- 
 other." 
 
 " To what air are we going to sing that?" 
 said Bijou. 
 
 "Ah, yes, that is true. We must have an 
 air. What air?" 
 
 Kueille advised: 
 
 " Put it to ' I am watching a boy of my 
 age. ' " 
 
 "Will it go?" 
 
 " What do you mean by ' Will it go?' " 
 
 "To what air?" 
 
 " I don't know anything about it. I don't 
 know the air."
 
 48 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Then why did you say to take it?" 
 
 " Because I often hear it alluded to — ' I am 
 watching a boy of my age.' I have it on the 
 brain. There are a lot of verses in it." 
 
 '■But," observed Bijou, "the symbolist's 
 lines are longer than those, particularly the 
 four last. You could never sing them to that 
 air." 
 
 " Why, yes! I didn't think of that!" 
 
 " Fortunately, Bijou thinks of everything," 
 said Pierrot proudly. 
 
 Jean resumed: 
 
 " We will look up an air later on. Let us 
 go,on, otherwise we shall never finish," 
 
 " Who is on the stage now?" 
 
 As Monsieur de Rueille was biting the handle 
 of his pen, looking at Bijou, and did not ap- 
 pear to hear, he cried: 
 
 " Paul, are you there or have you gone 
 out?" 
 
 "I am here." 
 
 "Ah! good! Then will you do me the 
 kindness to tell me what persons are on the 
 stage?" 
 , " Wait. I am looking." 
 
 "What!" said Bijou, "are you obliged to 
 look in order to tell?" 
 
 "You don't think, I presume, that I know 
 by heart all the little senseless things that 
 jvery one chooses to dictate to me?"
 
 BIJOU'S COUilTSHlP. 49 
 
 "But I know them." 
 
 And turning to Jean de Blayesbe explained: 
 
 "There are now on the stage Venus, the 
 Symbolist, Thomas Virelocque, and the Oppor- 
 tunist. We said yesterday that after the pre- 
 sentation of the Symbolist to Venus we would 
 have Madame de Staiil come in." 
 
 " Well, make her come in at once." 
 
 " Have you found any one to take the part 
 of Madame de Stael?" questioned Eueille. 
 " Up to now no one wanted to act it." 
 
 "No," said Bijou. "Not long ago I again 
 asked Madame de Jui'zencourt. She refused 
 positively. That wasn't very nice of her." 
 
 " Is Madame de Stael indispensable?" asked 
 Uncle Jonzac. 
 
 " Quite indispensable," said Bijou with con- 
 viction. " We must positively find some way 
 of " 
 
 Then, suddenly enlightened, she cried joy- 
 fully: 
 
 " Why, Henry can very well act the part of 
 Madame de Stael. He has hardly any mus- 
 tache." 
 
 " I?" said Bracieux, quite taken aback. "I 
 act the part of Madame de Stael?" 
 
 "Why, yes. She was rather manly. You 
 will do very well." 
 
 "But, great heavens! I don't wish to ex- 
 hibit myself before people whom I know in a
 
 50 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 low-necked gown and a turban, with the figure 
 of a bolster. It would be hideous." 
 
 ''Not at all. Ah! come, now. You're not 
 going to wait to be urged, I hope?" 
 
 " And spoil everything by being ill-natured," 
 added Pierrot with a dignified air. 
 
 Henry turned to him and said: 
 
 " 111 natured? One can see very well that 
 you are not in my place. But in fact you 
 could very well take my place." 
 
 As Pierrot drew back alarmed he continued: 
 
 " Why shouldn't you? You have even less 
 mustache than I." 
 
 " Yes, but I am a frail little chap," craftily 
 declared Pierrot, "and Madame de Stael was 
 rather a stout woman." 
 
 "Frail? You, the athlete ?" 
 
 Jean de Blaye here struck the inlaid floor 
 with a billiard-cue to command silence, and 
 said: 
 
 ' ' We will think of some one else for Madame 
 de Stael when we shall have decided what she 
 has to say. Now she enters. You are not 
 writing, Paul?" 
 
 "What do you want me to write?" 
 
 " Well, write ' Madame de Stael. She enters 
 at — ' Ah ! in fact, where does she enter ?" 
 
 "I have put 'at the back.' When no one 
 tells me anything I always put ' at the back.' " 
 
 " Good ! Then let us leave ' at the back.' "
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 51 
 
 " ^Madame de Stael to Thomas Virelocqiie: 
 T am Madame de Stael.' 
 
 " ' Thomas Virelocqiie: If you please V 
 
 ^- ^ 3Iadame de Stael: I am Madame de 
 Stael' 
 
 " ' Venus: Upon your word.' 
 
 " ' The OpporUmist: That is very curious. 
 I took you for a Turk.' 
 
 " ' The Symbolist: As for me, I '" 
 
 "Wait a moment," said Monsieur de Rueille. 
 " I have made a mistake," 
 
 "But how?" 
 
 " ' But how ?' Why, as one does make mis- 
 takes sometimes. Parbleu ! I wasn't think- 
 ing." 
 
 " That is true," said Bijou. " I don't know 
 what is the matter with you, but you are 
 awfully forgetful this evening." 
 
 Without answering, Rueille bore his pen so 
 hard down on the paper that it gave out a 
 plaintive cry, and Jean asked: 
 
 " What are you doing now ?" 
 
 " I am scratching out." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " I have repeated the same lines four times." 
 
 Bijou and Blaye got up and went and looked 
 at Monsieur de Rueille's "work," and the 
 young girl read: 
 
 '^'Madame de Stael: I am Madame de 
 Stael.'
 
 52 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " ' Thomas Virelocgue: If you please V 
 
 *' ' Madame de Stael: I ^^am Madame de 
 Stael.' 
 
 " Yes," said she, "you must scratch it out." 
 
 But Jean laughingly objected. 
 
 "Leave it, on the contrary. They will 
 think that Maeterlinck has collaborated. It 
 will be very cJiic.''^ 
 
 "Suppose we retire," proposed Monsieur de 
 Jonzac. "Paul is half-asleep. That is the 
 reason that he writes the same thing over 
 three times without being aware of it. Monsieur 
 I'Abbe is quite asleep; and as to me, I am 
 dying to follow his example." 
 
 " But," said Bijou, " it is hardly one o'clock 
 yet." 
 
 "Well, but it seems to me that in the 
 country — What do you say about it. Monsieur 
 Giraud ?" 
 
 The young professor replied without taking 
 his eyes off of Bijou: 
 
 "Oh, as to me, monsieur, I could stay here 
 all night without being sleepy." 
 The marchioness now arose and said: 
 
 "Your uncle is right, my grandchildren. 
 We must go to bed. Bijou, you will see that 
 the books that you have taken out of the library 
 are put back." 
 
 "Yes, grandmother. I am going to put 
 them back myself. "_
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 53 
 
 They all went out into the hall except Bijou, 
 and Monsieur de Rueille then asked: 
 
 " Would you like me to stay with you, Bijou ? 
 It won't take so much time." 
 
 " No. You don't know anything about the 
 library, and you will get everything into con- 
 fusion. I need some one who knows where 
 the books belong." 
 
 And addressing the tutor, who was the last 
 to go out, she said to him very gently, appar- 
 ently as if she were asking pardon for some 
 great indiscretion: 
 
 "Monsieur Giraud, would you be kind 
 enough to help me place the books on the 
 shelves ?" 
 
 The young man stopped short, too happy to 
 say a word. And as he still stood in the same 
 place, she pointed to the open door. 
 
 " Close the door, will you ? And now take 
 Moliere and I will take Aristophanes. Very 
 well. We will come back for the others." 
 
 While carrying' the books she chattered 
 away, appearing not to address her compan- 
 ion, but only to be thinking aloud. 
 
 " Why is Jean consulting Aristophanes, 
 when Thomas Virelocque has to speak to Ma- 
 dame de Stael ?" 
 
 Then she suddenly asked: 
 
 "Do you think that our review will be 
 amusing ?"
 
 54 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Why, yes, mademoiselle." 
 
 " Why don't you ever say anything ? You 
 ought to work too." 
 
 ^^ Mon Dieu ! mademoiselle. I am not very 
 familiar vpith politics and fashionable gossip. 
 To me they are sealed letters, and I don't very 
 well see " 
 
 " And then you probably prefer to be a sim- 
 ple spectator ?" 
 
 " I regret, alas! that I cannot even be that." 
 
 "What! You are not going to see our re- 
 view ?" she inquired in amazement. 
 
 "No, mademoiselle." 
 
 " But why?" 
 
 He answered, frightfully embarrassed: 
 
 "Oh, for a very ridiculous reason." 
 
 " What is it ?" 
 
 "Mademoiselle, I " 
 
 " I beg of you tell me why," said Bijou, and 
 she leaned toward him, graceful and lissome, 
 while the perfume of her hair rose to the young 
 man's face, charming him into a torpor, dreamy 
 and sweet. 
 
 " Why do you not care to speak to me ?" said 
 she, after awhile. * ' Am I not your friend — 
 just a little bit ?" 
 
 "Oh, mademoiselle," he murmured broken- 
 ly. " I — I cannot be present on that evening, 
 because — oh, you see, it's very prosaic— because 
 I haven't any coat."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 55 
 
 " But you will have plenty of time to send 
 for your coat. Besides, you'll need it for 
 Thursday. We have a dinner on Thursday." 
 
 Giraud blushed violently. 
 
 ''But, mademoiselle, I cannot send for a coat 
 for Thursday or for later on, as I haven't any." 
 
 "None at all?" 
 
 "None at all." 
 
 ' ' Come ! You are joking. " 
 
 " Alas! no, mademoiselle. I have no coat." 
 And he added with a smile that was infinitely 
 sad: "And there are many poor devils like 
 myself who are in the same condition." 
 
 " Oh!" said Bijou, suddenly seizing the pro- 
 fessor's hand, " let me beg your pardon. How 
 careless and unkind I am! You will be sure 
 to hate me." 
 
 "Hate you!" he murmured, lowering his 
 head, " but I adore you — I adore you!" 
 
 Bijou regarded him with an air of alarm, but 
 there was a tender expression in her deep eyes 
 veiled in a mist of tears. Then she said with 
 a changed voice: 
 
 "Go away! Don't say that any more. 
 Never say it again — never!" 
 
 On the door-sill the professor turned back 
 and saw that Bijou was seated on the divan 
 and sobbing, with her face buried in the cush- 
 ions. He would have liked to go back to her, 
 but did not dare, so turned and left the room 
 ■without one word.
 
 56 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Bijou, who as a rule went trotting about the 
 park and the house every morning, did not 
 appear until after the first stroke of the clock 
 was announcing breakfast. Pierrot anxiously 
 rushed forward to question her before she 
 could even say good-morning to the marchioness 
 and Uncle Alexis. He wanted to know why 
 he hadn't seen her at the dairy as usual, 
 where she went every day to see about the 
 cheeses. "Why hadn't she been there, as she 
 didn't go out on horseback ? 
 
 " How do you know," said Bijou, " that I 
 didn't go out on horseback ?" 
 
 "Because Patatras was in the stable. I 
 went there to see. " 
 
 " So you watch all my movements?" 
 
 "It isn't exactly watching," said Pierrot, 
 blushing, and beside, I wasn't the only one. 
 There were two of us. Monsieur Giraud " 
 
 "What French! Good heavens! What 
 French !" said Monsieur de Jonezac in despair. 
 
 " What's the difference ? If there were any 
 one here I should take care to speak more 
 chiquement; but as there is no one here but 
 ourselves ■"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 67 
 
 And turning to Bijou he said: 
 " It's perfectly true. He was as much sur- 
 prised as I was — Monsieur Giraud. He kept 
 on saying all the time, ' We always see Made- 
 moiselle Denyse every day running about 
 everywhere. She must be ill.' But then said 
 I, ' Oh, as to that, no. The Bijou is never 
 ill.' Don't you see now, Monsieur Giraud, 
 that I was right ?" 
 
 " No. You were wrong. I was not exactly 
 ill, but tired — not quite up to the mark. I 
 have just got up." 
 
 She walked up to the professor, who was 
 leaning against the embrasure of the window, 
 and holding out her hand continued: 
 
 "And I thank Monsieur Giraud for having 
 so kindly thought of me." 
 
 Quite pale and evidently worried, the young 
 man hardly ventured to touch the soft little 
 hand which laid itself in his with such con- 
 fidence and abandon, but he seemed pleased 
 with the kind greeting, such as he had certain- 
 ly never thought to receive again. 
 
 "Mademoiselle," he murmured, seized with 
 a vague desire to fly away or to burst into 
 tears, " Pray believe that I never allowed my- 
 self to make those remarks." 
 
 " Well, then, you were wrong. One must 
 allow one's self everything where ' the Bijou ' 
 is concerned — as Pierrot says."
 
 58 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Then all at once she asked, suddenly assum- 
 ing an air of concern: 
 
 "Have they worked on the review this 
 morning ?" 
 
 " Worked," said Pierrot in an aggrieved tone. 
 "Ah! indeed no! It's bad enough to have 
 to toil away while you are there without doing 
 it in your absence. Oh, no ! That would be 
 a hard case, indeed. We had the review for 
 supper, and I above all people — I who am 
 obliged to work besides." 
 
 Bijou began to laugh and said: 
 
 "Are you not afraid of hurting yourself, 
 working so hard ?" 
 
 "If he goes on like this," said Monsieur 
 de Jonezac, "he will never get his degree. 
 Am I not right, Monsieur Giraud ?" 
 
 "I fear so, monsieur, I fear so," answered 
 the professor. "Pierrot is very intelligent, 
 but so careless, so absent-minded, particularly 
 since we came here." 
 
 " I am no more absent-minded than you are, 
 Monsieur Giraud!" exclaimed Pierrot, "and 
 that is the truth. Your head seems to be al- 
 ways in the clouds. You're not the book- 
 worm that you were. You never do anything 
 any more except to work with me and over 
 verses in corners." 
 
 "Do you write verses, Monsieur Giraud?" 
 inquired Madame de Rueille, who had just 
 come in, followed by Jean and Henry.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 59 
 
 " 3fon Bieu ! madame," stammered the poor 
 boy, who did not know which way to turn, "I 
 do write, but it isn't exactly poetry." 
 
 " But your verses are charming," said Jean. 
 And as the young man regarded him in aston- 
 ishment he resumed: " Yes, you write very 
 pretty verses that you sometimes lose. It was 
 little Marcel who found these and gave them 
 to me." And smilingly he offered Giraud a 
 paper folded so that the writing could not be 
 seen. 
 
 " Let us see," said Bijou, stretching out her 
 hand. 
 
 "Mademoiselle!" cried the tutor, rushing 
 forward in alarm, "Mademoiselle! I beg of 
 you!" Then he added, as if asking pardou for 
 so rude an interruption: " They are very bad 
 verses. Allow me to hide them. I will show 
 you some others which are more worthy of in- 
 spection." 
 
 Bijou, who was standing in an attitude of 
 eagerness, stretching out her hand with an air 
 of infantile grace, began to entreat him: 
 
 " I beg of you, Jean, let me see them. It 
 won't prevent Monsieur Giraud from writing 
 others that we can also see." 
 
 But the young man was inflexible, and re- 
 plied while giving back the papers to the be- 
 wildered tutor: 
 
 " I cannot show you a letter, for it is a sort
 
 60 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 of letter that belongs to the one who wrote 
 it. 
 
 "Thank yon," murmured Giraud, quite 
 disconcerted. "Thank you, sir." And he 
 slipped the tormenting bit of paper into his 
 pocket. 
 
 "Pierrot!" called out the marchioness, 
 " give me ' La Bruyere,' will you ?" 
 
 " Who did you say?" said the bad boy, wink- 
 ing his eye. 
 
 "'LaBruy5rc!'" 
 
 "You can see," said Monsieur de Jonezac, 
 gazing at his son in despair, " that he doesn't 
 even know what La Bruyere is." 
 
 Pierrot protested with energy, saying: 
 
 " Yes, but I do, though, and I can prove it. 
 It has a blue back." 
 
 " A what ?" asked the old marchioness. 
 
 " A blue back, aunt." 
 
 Monsieur Giraud here interposed. 
 
 " Explain to your aunt that you have the 
 bad habit of distinguishing books by the color 
 of their binding rather than by their titles." 
 
 '■'■ Pai'hleur said Monsieur de Jonezac indig- 
 nantly. " He never opens one of them. Such 
 ignorance! When I think that he is nearly 
 seventeen years old!" 
 
 " Poor Pierrot!" said Bijou compassionately. 
 " He isn't so ignorant as all that." And as 
 her uncle said nothing in response she added: 
 " And then he is so nice and so healthy."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. fil 
 
 "Oh! as to that," replied Monsieur de Jone- 
 zac, "he is burstiug with health, and that 
 makes him still more unbearable, but not any 
 more intelligent. They are complaining nowa- 
 days of intellectual overwork. They say that 
 it makes children stupid, and so they have 
 substituted physical overwork, which makes 
 them more stupid still." 
 
 "Now," said Bertrode, "uncle has started 
 on the war-path. Well, I am also of his 
 opinion, and it doesn't please me at all to 
 think that my children will perhaps at some 
 time add to the number of young brutes that 
 we see everywhere about us." 
 
 " But," said Henry de Bracieux, " there are 
 among the young and the very young many 
 who are very intellectual. I know of some. " 
 
 "Well, I also know of some," answered 
 Jean de Blaye, ' ' but according to my ideas 
 they are not really intellectual. They are " 
 
 As a clock struck a number of times the 
 marchioness arose, saying: 
 
 " Come to breakfast, my children. Jean 
 can finish his little explanation at the table." 
 
 Jean replied, laughing: 
 
 " I don't care to, aunt." 
 
 "But I do care. I am no longer 'up to 
 date,' as you say, and it doesn't displease me 
 to be instructed about certain things of which 
 I am in total ignorance."
 
 62 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Seating herself at the table, she continued: 
 
 *' Now, what about those who are not really 
 intellectual ?" 
 
 "Oh!" said Jean, " explanations are not in 
 my line. Those who are not truly intellectual 
 are invalids — unreal invalids in the beginning, 
 who end by being actually so. The^?^ are 
 unbearably sell-conscious, efifeminate, and 
 unnatural — everything one can be. Their 
 originality is voluntary and impersonal.''' 
 
 " But what do you mean by that ?" 
 ."I can't tell you exactly. They are com- 
 plicated. For instance, little Balue is a pure 
 type of what I refer to. You can study him. " 
 
 " That idea never occurred to me. But are 
 there any other extraordinary creatures in the 
 younger generation beside ' complications?' " 
 
 " Yes. There are the young athletes." 
 
 " As a specimen, Pierrot," said Henry de 
 Bracieux. 
 
 The marchioness turned toward her grand- 
 son. 
 
 " No personalities. Go on with your little 
 lecture, Jean." 
 
 "I should prefer, aunt, to eat my egg 
 in peace." 
 
 " We had got as far as the young athletes." 
 
 "Well, if the 'complications' are rather 
 trying, the athletes are annoying to a degree. 
 Boxing, football, bicycling, matches, and rec-
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 63 
 
 ords — these are the continual themes of ^fcsir 
 conversation, and, what is more to be regretted, 
 these subjects assume a gigantic and a unique 
 importance in their lives. In their eyes the 
 man of most consequence is the one who can 
 give the hardest blow of the list or the one 
 wlio can show the greatest amount of resist- 
 ance or strength. The one person in the 
 world who commands their admiration is the 
 ' champion.' " 
 
 "And what is the difference between athletes 
 and complications?" 
 
 "None; or with rare exceptions that only 
 serve to prove the rule. Understand, I am 
 speaking only of the younger generation, to 
 which Pierrot belongs." 
 
 " Poor Pierrot! Let him alone," said Bijou. 
 "You are all of you joined against him." 
 
 " Because there is still time to correct his 
 characteristics, whereas if he is allowed to go 
 on, the result certainly will be a most deplor- 
 able failure." 
 
 "Jean is right," affirmed Monsieur de 
 Jonezac. " He can be allowed to give advice 
 to Pierrot, and even to others, as he is intel- 
 lectual and athletic as well. " 
 
 Madame de Bracieux regarded her grand- 
 nephew with benevolence and said : 
 
 " Your uncle is right, my boy. You are 
 the distinguished one of the family." She
 
 64 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 observed that Bijou seemed to be examing her 
 cousin curiously, and resumed: " I am only 
 speaking of the men, naturally." 
 
 Pierrot leaned over to Denyse, who was 
 seated beside h' v, r.nd said in a low tone of 
 passionate gratituJe: 
 
 " It is so good of you to be always defend- 
 ing me, and I care more for you than for all 
 of the oi uers." 
 
 She answered smilingly and with an air that 
 was almost maternal: 
 
 "But that's very bad of you. You ought 
 to love my uncle, as well as my grandmother, 
 more than you do me. " 
 
 "Well, you can't prove that; and then that 
 isn't what I wanted to say. What I wished 
 to sav was that I love you more than any 
 of them do, and yet there are some of them 
 who care a great deal for you. Now, there is 
 Paul — Paul de Rueille. Well, I am sure that 
 he cares more for you than he does for Ber- 
 trade — more than he cares for his boys or for 
 anything else above or below " 
 
 "Stop this minute !" said Bijou in alarm, 
 and looking around to see if any one had over- 
 heard. 
 
 " Don't worry. Th ^y're busy eating; they're 
 not noticing us. What I tell you is prefectly 
 true— and Jean Too, and Henry, and Monsieur 
 Giraud. The Abbe Courteil is the only one 
 who doesn't follow you about, and even ''
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 65 
 
 "But you are dreaming. How can you 
 imagine " 
 
 " I don't imagine— I observe; and I observe 
 because it annoys me." 
 
 Monsieur de Jonezac's vvlc was now heard. 
 
 " Why, no. I am convinced that he doesn't 
 even know that Kenan exists. lie knows 
 nothing — nothing whatsoever." 
 
 Ever gentle and conciliating, the i-rofessor 
 replied: 
 
 ' ' Oh, but yes ! For as to B»nan, that happens 
 to be preciselv a subject with which he ought 
 to be familiar, for three or four days ago I 
 had occasion to quote him as the author of 
 ' The Origin of Language.' " 
 
 '• Well, I will bet that he doesn't even re- 
 member his name. " And Monsieur de Jo^ezac 
 called out — " Pierrot!" 
 
 The little one, absorbed in his conversation 
 with Bijou, never suspected that they were 
 discussing him. On hearing himself called he 
 turned his head around, vaguely anxious. 
 
 " Pierrot," asked Monsieur de Jonezac, 
 " What is Kenan?" 
 
 "Come! That's good! The questions are 
 beginning again. Kenan! What in the world 
 can that be?" 
 
 And as his father repeated, "Don't you 
 know what Kenan is?" he answered: "No, 
 papa."
 
 66 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " What!" said Monsieur Giraud in surprise. 
 ' ' Why, it was only the other day we were 
 talking about him." 
 
 "About hiin?" said Pierrot in consternation. 
 " I ? I was talking about that man ?" 
 
 " Why, yes. Come, exercise your memory. 
 I quoted one of his works to you." 
 
 Bijou, who had all along been listening with 
 one ear to what Pierrot was saying and fol- 
 lowing the conversation with the other, re- 
 membered, and with her head almost touching 
 her plate and apparently absorbed by the 
 strawberries that she was rolling in the sugar, 
 she whispered to him very low: 
 
 " The Origin of Language." 
 
 ' ' Come, think hard," repeated the professor. 
 " I quoted from a book of Monsieur Kenan's — 
 what was it?" 
 
 To the general consternation Pierrot replied 
 resolutely: 
 
 " 'The Language of Flowers.'" 
 
 "Admirable!" said Bertrade with delight. 
 "One can always expect something amusing 
 from Pierrot." 
 
 Notwithstanding his desire to laugh. Mon- 
 sieur de Jonezac declared with a frown: 
 
 " Well, as to me, I don't find that funny." 
 
 With a very red face Pierrot turned to 
 Bijou. 
 
 " You, at least — you do not laugh. You are 
 so good."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 67 
 
 As they were all leaving the table he drew 
 her out on the terrace stairs, begging her: 
 
 "Let me go with you to give the grass to 
 Patatras." 
 
 " But before I do that I must serve the 
 coffee. " 
 
 "Bertrade can very well do it for once,, 
 don't you see? And as for me, I cannot go 
 back to the drawing-room. They would be 
 sure to ask me the name of something else." 
 
 Denyse took a basket with her in which was 
 placed a box of clover that she gave to her 
 horse every day, and turned in the direction 
 of the stable, followed by Pierrot, who went 
 on repeating, lowering his rough voice till its 
 tones were almost soft and mellow. 
 
 "You are so lovely. Bijou — so pretty. If 
 you only knew!" 
 
 While crossing the alley which led to the 
 stables he drew her attention to Monsieur de 
 Rueille and Jean de Blaye, who were walking 
 forward and talking, and said: 
 
 "See! As you were not there the cousins 
 didn't stay long in the drawing-room. " 
 
 Seeing that Denyse was going toward them, 
 he pulled her back roughly, saying: 
 
 "No! Please don't, I beg of you. They'll 
 never let go of you, and I shan't have you all 
 to myself. It's such a piece of luck for me to 
 be with you for one moment without Monsieur
 
 68 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Giraud. T always have to go treading on his 
 heels, especially when I am anywhere near 
 you." 
 
 Bijou regarded the two men attentively, 
 who, very much absorbed, were walking to- 
 ward her without seeing her, and between her 
 eyelids shone that little light that at times im- 
 parted so singular a sharpness to her habitu- 
 ally veiled glances. She replied, while going 
 into the stable: 
 
 " As you ^Jease. We will go and give Pata- 
 tras his grass without them." 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille was walking with his 
 eyes fixed on the gravel path of the alley. He 
 raised his head on hearing the door open. 
 Jean de Blaye pointed to the stable and said: 
 
 "Look! Is not she the cause of the con- 
 straint shown of late in your slightest words — 
 of the sort of animosity that you seem to 
 cherish toward me?" 
 
 Affecting a jesting tone, Eueille replied: 
 
 "Indeed! Who is it?" 
 
 '^ Bijou, parbleuf Ah! Do you think that 
 I haven't noticed every hour what was going 
 on in your mind ?" 
 
 " It must have been very interesting." 
 
 " Don't joke about it! You know hat you 
 don't feel like doing so. I knew the tv mo- 
 ment when you begun unconsciously to admire 
 Bijou. More than one admires a good little
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 69 
 
 cousin whom one likes very much. It was on 
 the evening of the grand prix, at Uncle 
 Alexis' house, when she sang. You don't say 
 anything!" 
 
 " I am listening. Go on." 
 
 " Since we have all been together here, seeing 
 each other constantly — since you have been 
 passing every moment of long days beside 
 Bijou, your— let us say your admiration has 
 naturally increased, and since yesterday, after 
 your drive to Pont-ser-Loire, it has reached 
 the culminating point. Isn't it true ?" 
 
 "Well, yes, it is true." 
 
 "That doesn't surprise me. But explain 
 one thing to me — something that does surprise 
 me. " . 
 
 " What do you mean ?" 
 
 "Why is it that you seem to be so partic- 
 ularly vexed wath me ? Why with me any 
 more than with your brother-in-law, with 
 Pierrot's tutor, or even with Pierrot himself ?" 
 
 '■'■Dame! Henry is almost of the same age 
 as Bijou. He has been brought up with her, 
 and she ]oo]:s v.pon him exactly as if he were 
 a brother. Little La Balue is ridiculous, the 
 tutor a poor devil who doesn't count, and 
 Pierrot, callow youth; whereas you — " 
 
 "W ./easl " 
 
 "As to you, you are one of those people 
 with whom one falls in love, and you know it
 
 •yO BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 very well; and I see, I feel, I divine that it is 
 you whom Bijou will end by falling in love 
 with." 
 
 "With me? Come, now ! She doesn't even 
 deign to pay the slightest attention to me. 
 In her eyes I am only the man who breaks in 
 a horse for her, takes her out rowing, or writes 
 verses for her review." 
 
 " Nevertheless you are of more importance 
 than the others." 
 
 "And why then? You are pleased to con- 
 sider little Balue as 'ridiculous,' but every- 
 body is not of your opinion. As to Giraud, he 
 is charming." 
 
 "Yes, but he is Giraud." 
 
 "And even so, what difference does that 
 make ?" 
 
 " A great deal— that is to say, none at all to 
 certain women; but Bijou is not one of that 
 kind." 
 
 " Ah ! And what do you know about it ?" 
 
 "I have been studying her for a long time 
 without appearing to do so." 
 
 " You have been studying her, but you don't 
 understand her." 
 
 " Possibly." 
 
 "I am sure that if I were in her place, 
 among so many lovers the one whom I should 
 choose " 
 
 "Those are the words of a song in the 
 ' Noces de Jeannette. ■ "
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 71 
 
 "You are not going to prevent me from 
 following out my little idea. Now, among so 
 many lovers, if I had to make a choice, Giraud 
 is the one to whom I most certainly would 
 give the preference." 
 
 "A woman would choose Giraud because he 
 is a handsome youth, but a young girl who 
 regards a man simply from a marriageable 
 point of view would never give him the pref- 
 erence." 
 
 " Then the reason that you are not angry 
 with Giraud is because, according to your idea, 
 he isn't marriageable, consequently not to be 
 greatly dreaded V 
 
 "Precisely." 
 
 "Well, and as to me, my poor old man — do 
 you then look upon me as marriageable ? Just 
 picture me with my unfortunate 400,000 
 francs trying to make Bijou happy. Fancy us 
 in an apartment that rents for 3,000, with 
 pretroleum lamps and a charcoal fire. It would 
 be simply delicious !" 
 
 "And you think, then, that you are in love 
 with her ?" 
 
 " Permit me. I have never said that I was 
 in love with Bijou. I don't know whether I 
 am or not." 
 
 ' ' And you think that she is not in love with 
 you ?" 
 
 " I^ot the least in the world. Besides that,
 
 72 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 she has never even tried to make me think so. 
 'Good-morning.' 'Good-evening.' 'It's a 
 fine day.' Such is the nature of the exciting 
 dialogues that each day take place between us. 
 So, you see, you are wrong to be vexed with 
 me." 
 
 "I beg your pardon, my poor Jean, but I 
 was so sure that you were the favored one 
 that " 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille here interrupted him- 
 self, leaning forward to listen. 
 
 " Look !" said he. " There she is !" 
 
 Bijou was leaving the stable, still followed 
 by Pierrot. She walked up gracefully to the 
 two men, examining them with her usual calm 
 and smiling air, and asked: 
 
 "What is the matter with you two? You 
 look as if you were discussing matters of the 
 very greatest importance."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 73 
 
 V. 
 
 Bijou was in the dining-room arranging tlie 
 baskets of flowers for dinner, while in the 
 butler's pantry the servants were polishing the 
 large silver dishes, which shone resplendently, 
 when the butler said to one of the footmen: 
 
 " Slij) on your coat. Here's a carriage, and 
 coming slowly up the avenue. Oh, you've got 
 time enough. It's quite far off . " 
 
 Looking out of the window, the footman 
 asked : 
 
 "Whose carriage is that? I don't know it 
 at all. Splendid harness, all the same." 
 
 "It is probably the gentleman from La 
 Noriniere — Monsieur le Comte de Clagney." 
 
 ''Mdtin ! It's well turned out." 
 
 "Oh, he has enough for that." 
 
 " What ! Has he a large income ?" 
 
 " Awfully large — about four hundred thou- 
 sand. " 
 
 " You know him, then ?" 
 
 ' ' My wife was a kitchen-maid in his house 
 before I married her. A good master— always 
 amiable and nothing mean about him. B it 
 you'd better start if you wish to get to the 
 door before he does."
 
 •^'^ BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 A moment before, Bijou, who wanted some 
 more flowers, had run out and, making one 
 leap across the road, had jumped into the 
 middle of a large bed of roses, where she was 
 making pitiful inroads. She was so absorbed 
 that she did not hear a carriage that turned 
 into the road encircling the lawn, nor even 
 when it stopped before the door of cnti'ance. 
 When at last she raised her head, she saw a 
 tall man standing two or three steps from her 
 and regarding her with ecstasy. And in truth 
 Bijou, in her cotton gown with broad pink 
 stripes and her little baby apron trimmed 
 with Valenciennes, was really a pretty sight, 
 foraging with rounded arms among the 
 flowers. When she saw herself regarded thus, 
 her tea-rose skin took on a livelier tint, while 
 she stood speechless and embarrassed before 
 the gentleman, who continued to contemplate 
 her without saying a word. 
 
 He was a man of fifty-five to sixty, tall, slen- 
 der, distinguished, although rather frail in fig- 
 ure. His fine and intelligent face had a 
 somewhat sad expression. As Bijou, still im- 
 movable, seemed hesitating and anxious, he 
 approached and, bowing, said in a very sweet 
 tone: 
 
 " Mademoiselle, pardon me, but are you not 
 Denyse de Courtaix?" 
 
 Bijou looked straight into the eyes so curi- 
 ously fixed upon her and replied, all smiles;
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. % 
 
 "Yes; and you — you are Monsieur de Clag- 
 ny, are you not?" 
 
 " How did you know it?" 
 
 Denysehad just jumped from the flower-bed 
 into the road, and said, iu happy, joyous tones, 
 without directly answering the question: 
 
 "Oh! how pleased grandmother will be to 
 see you, monsieur; and Uncle Alexis, too. 
 Ever since it was known that you were coming 
 back here to live in the country they speak of 
 no one but you. Let us go and see grand- 
 mother at once." 
 
 She ran on before him, a graceful, undulat- 
 ing figure, crossing the large rooms with the 
 gliding step that was one of her greatest 
 charms. The marchioness was not in the 
 drawing-room, although she was usually to be 
 found there. Bijou rang and gave orders to 
 tell her. Then she came and sat down oppo- 
 site Monsieur de Clagny, and examining him 
 with attention observed: 
 
 " Paul de Rueille was quite right when he 
 said that I must have seen you formerly, for I 
 do remember you." 
 
 She gazed at him still more earnestly and 
 repeated pensively: 
 
 "I remember you very well." 
 
 "As to myself, I confess," said he, "that 
 had I met you anywhere except at Bracieux I 
 should not have recognized you. You have
 
 % BIJOU'S COURTSHIP." 
 
 grown so and are so much improved that with 
 the exception of the beautiful forget-me-not 
 eyes, whicli have not changed, nothing re- 
 mains of the baby of former days." 
 
 " The name that yon gave her remains." 
 
 " The^name?" asked he in surprise. " What 
 name?" 
 
 ' ' Bijou. Don't you remember? It appears 
 that it was you who gave it to me." 
 
 "That is true. You used to seem such a 
 fragile little thing to me, so rare and amiable — 
 a little jewel, in fact — an exquisite jewel. So 
 they have continued to call you by that name? 
 It certainly suits you wonderfully." 
 
 " I don't think so. I fear that it may seem 
 somewhat absurd to be called Bijou at twenty- 
 one — for I am twenty -one, monsieur." 
 
 " Is it possible?" 
 
 " Quite possible. In four years I shall dress 
 Saint Catherine's hair. " 
 
 The count gazed at Bijou with an admira- 
 tion that he did not seek to disguise, and an- 
 swered with conviction: 
 
 "You! Ah! no, indeed! Par exemple T 
 
 Madame de Bracieux now entered with her 
 hands extended, and with a look of joy ex- 
 claimed: 
 
 "Oh! how glad I am to see you!" 
 
 As Denyse made a movement to leave the 
 room she retained her, saying to Clagny, who 
 still seemed lost in admiration:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 7^ 
 
 " I see that Bijou hasn't waited to be intro- 
 duced. Tell me what you think of my grand- 
 daughter. And without giving him time to 
 answer she resumed quickly: "And she is 
 really the same little jewel that you used to 
 admire." 
 
 " Mademoiselle Denyse is enchanting." 
 
 " Denyse — whom you will do me the kind- 
 ness not to call ' mademoiselle ' — is a good 
 little girl, devoted and obedient, whose gayety 
 brightens up my old house, so sad before her 
 coming." 
 
 " How does it happen that I have never seen 
 Mademoiselle Denyse " 
 
 " Mademoiselle again!" interrupted the mar- 
 chioness. 
 
 "That I haven't seen 'Bijou 'in Paris? I 
 go to see you so regularly on your day." 
 
 " Yes, but you always come early, at a time 
 when she isn't there; and as you haven't cared 
 to dine with us for sixteen years " 
 
 " I dine 'nowhere, as you well know. But 
 you have never spoken to me of Bijou — never 
 given me any news of her." 
 
 " Because you never asked me for any." 
 
 " I had forgotten her — this little creature 
 whom I had hardly seen; and still, just now, 
 on seeing a delicious young girl emerge from 
 a parterre of flowers, I knew her at once. Isn't 
 it so, mademoiselle?" Recovering himself, he 
 said laughingly: "Isn't it so, Bijou?"
 
 •J-g BIJOU'S COURTSUIP. 
 
 " It is true. Monsieur de Olagny asked mo 
 at once if I were not Denyse de Courtaix, but I 
 also knew at once who iie was. I have heard 
 him so much spoken of that I have seen him 
 in my dreams, and it seems very odd " 
 
 She stepped, and with a long look at the 
 count added: 
 
 " I Imve seen him in my dreams exactly as 
 he is." 
 
 "A very old man," said Clagny gently and 
 rather sadly. 
 
 " No, a very handsome man," said Bijou 
 with sincerity, then added quickly: "And 
 Uncle Alexis isn't here yet. There seems to 
 be no good in pulling the bell with all one's 
 might — he doesn't come so. I am going to 
 look for him." 
 
 She was running out, when the marchioness 
 called her back, saying: 
 
 " Wait a moment! Tell them to set another 
 place. You will dine with us, Clagny?" 
 
 " Yes, if there is no one here." 
 
 "But some people are coming — friends of 
 yours." 
 
 "I am a regular old bear who never dines 
 with his friends; and besides, in this suit " 
 
 " Your suit is good enough, and then there 
 will be plenty of time to send to Noriniere for 
 your coat if you care to. " 
 
 " I do care to — if I stay."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 79 
 
 Bijou went up to him and coaxingly said: 
 
 "You will stay. And do you Icnow what 
 would be very very nice of you? It would be 
 for you to stay just as you are — without the 
 coat." 
 
 " But why, if it annoys him to stay without 
 changing his suit, do you insistr. Bijou?" asked 
 the marchioness. 
 
 " Because, grandmother, if Monsieur de 
 Clagny doesn't dress for dinner Monsieur 
 Giraud will be able to dine with us also, while 
 otherwise he will have to dine alone in his 
 room." 
 
 " "What IS that you are talking about?" 
 
 "It is very simple. Monsieur Giraud has 
 no dress-coat — not a single one. I learned it 
 by chance. . He just now said to Baptiste that 
 he was ill and would not leave his room this 
 evening. Then if Monsieur de Clagny would 
 stay just as he is — you understand — he could 
 also." 
 
 "Come! You are a good Bijou," said 
 Madame de Bracieux with emotion. "You 
 think of everybody. ■ You are always engaged 
 in giving pleasure to some one." 
 
 Denyse was not listening; she was awaiting 
 the count's consent. At last he asked: 
 
 " Would it give you a great deal of pleasure 
 to have Monsieur Giraud dine at the table?" 
 
 " Yes."
 
 80 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Well, it shall be as you wish. Now tell 
 me: who is this gentleman whom I do not 
 know and for whose sake I consent to appear 
 as an ill-bred man?" 
 
 " He is Pierrot's tutor." 
 
 "Ah! And who is Pierrot?" 
 
 "The son of Alexis," said Madame de 
 Bracieux, laughing. 
 
 " Then the god to whom I am to be sacri- 
 ficed is Monsieur Giraud, tutor to Pierrot de 
 Jonezac and honored by the protection of 
 Mademoiselle Bijou? Thank you very much. 
 I like to understand my position." 
 
 " But," said Denyse, who had grown very 
 red — "but I am not protecting Monsieur 
 Giraud at all. I " 
 
 "You needn't defend yourself. I can un- 
 derstand the part a poor tutor who has no 
 coat has to play in the life of a pretty little 
 lady like yourself. It is a part of sacrifice — 
 he represents exactly what is called ' a walking 
 gentleman.' " 
 
 "You have no idea," said the marchioness 
 as soon as Denyse had gone out, "how per- 
 fectly lovely that child is. This boy in whom 
 she interests herself and who is really charm- 
 ing is treated by her exactly on the same 
 footing as the most distinguished men — those 
 who are considered the very smartest. Bijou 
 is a pearl. You will see that for yourself."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 81 
 
 " I shall see it perhaps too well." 
 
 "How too well?" 
 
 " Ah, yes! I am perfectly incorrigible, as 
 you know. I have a stupid old heart which 
 starts off on the slightest provocation, and 
 then I lose all control of it." 
 
 "But Bijou is my granddaughter, my poor 
 friend." 
 
 " Well, what does that prove?" 
 
 "It proves that she might also be your 
 own." 
 
 "lam aware of that; but all this is only 
 reasoning, and young hearts reason but little, 
 or badly." 
 
 " And then?" 
 
 " Why, then," said Monsieur de Clagny with 
 a forced laugh, "I was joking, naturally." 
 
 Bijou had crossed the court of honor. The 
 heat was very great. The peacocks, standing 
 on the trunk of a fallen tree, looked stupid 
 and absurd; the dogs, stretched out on their 
 sides, were panting under the ardent rays of 
 the sun, without, however, seeking the shade. 
 No one was out at this torrid hour except 
 Pierrot, who, in a suit of white duck and with 
 a large straw hat on his head, was walking in 
 the shade of some chestnut trees. Denyse ran 
 up the stairs and rushed into the schoolroom 
 like a whirlwind, but stopped short at the
 
 82 BIJOU'S COUHTSHIP. 
 
 door with an air of embarrassment. Monsieur 
 Giraud, who was seated at a table, got up 
 quickly on seeing her. She murmured: 
 
 "Oh! I beg your pardon. I was looking 
 for Pierrot. I thought that he was here and 
 that you were taking your walk." 
 
 Quite disconcerted, the young professor re- 
 plied, searching for words and finding none; 
 
 "No, mademoiselle! No. I am here. It 
 is Pierrot, on the contrary, who has gone out, 
 but — if you would like — if I could tell him 
 that — for — you have probably something to 
 say to him." 
 
 He completely lost his head on seeing her so 
 pretty, with her skin so delicately pink, not- 
 withstanding the terrible heat, and her great 
 changing eyes gently fixed upon him. With 
 some embarrassment she said: 
 
 "Yes, certainly, I wanted to speak to Pier- 
 rot, but only to him. Although what I had to 
 say was something that concerns you. It 
 would be better " 
 
 Giraud interrupted her with an air of 
 anxiety. 
 
 " Which concerns me. But, really, I don't 
 understand — I wonder if " 
 
 The idea came to him that perhaps she was 
 going to tell him that after what had passed 
 on the night before last he could not stay at 
 Bracieux any longer. And he was almost dis-
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 83 
 
 tracted in thinking that he must not only 
 leave Bijou, but also be without a position for 
 two months, when lie had thought he was 
 safely and happily settled for that period. 
 
 The young girl regarded him with a kind 
 smile and at last replied: 
 
 " Because it is rather a hard thing to say to 
 — the one who is interested." 
 
 "But, then, Pierrot " 
 
 "Oh! Pierrot, who is not, I am aware, a 
 skillful diplomat, would nevertheless have 
 known how to tell you better than I." 
 
 "To tell me?" 
 
 " That you are to dine with us this evening. 
 A headache, don't you see, is only a good ex- 
 cuse for women, and you will not be the only 
 one without a dress-coat, as Monsieur de 
 Clagny will have on the suit he has worn to 
 pay us a visit in; so you understand " 
 
 " But, mademoiselle, without even consider- 
 ing the trial it would be to me not to be 
 dressed like the others, it would certainly be a 
 piece of rudeness to your guests." 
 
 "Yes, you are perhaps right. It would 
 seem rude if you were the only one not in 
 evening dress, but there will be Monsieur de 
 Clagny, in the same suit he has worn to pay 
 us a visit in; so you understand " 
 
 "Mademoiselle, Monsieur de Clagny, whom 
 I saw on his arrival, is an old man, and as
 
 84 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 such he can be allowed many things that I — 
 particularly in my position — I could not." 
 
 "You? You will obey my grandmother 
 like a good little child, for it was grandmother 
 who sent me." 
 
 " Ah !" murmured the young man with a 
 look of disappointment. "So it was your 
 ^'^i.mdraother. I had hoped that it was you 
 
 who But you must bo vexed with me, that 
 
 is trut^" 
 
 "Vexed with you! But why?" she asked 
 in surprise. 
 
 "But — because — you know well — the other 
 evening, when, in spite of myself, I " 
 
 Bijou's gay face grew grave and she said 
 quite seriously : 
 
 ' ' I thought that was something never to be 
 mentioned again. I wish you to forget what 
 you have said." She stood perfectly still for a 
 second in a pensive attitude, and then added 
 in a faint voice: "Above all, I wish to forget 
 it myself." 
 
 Her eyelids were covered, the iashes rising 
 and falling with a rapid motion and throwing 
 fantastic shadows on the rosy cheeks suffused 
 with light. Giraud walked up to her, anxious 
 and excited, and in a low murmur, tender as 
 a caress, he asked: 
 
 " Is it true what you have just said? Do 
 you still remember that moment — when I was 
 road ? Can you think of it without anger ?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 85 
 
 She answered, fixing her beautiful blue eyes 
 full upon him: 
 
 "Yes, I can think of it without anger." 
 And then, so low that he could hardly hear 
 her, she murmured : ' ' And I am always think- 
 ing of it. " Then with a sudden change of ex- 
 pression she added: " But you are to forget it 
 now — forget at once what I ought never to 
 have said to you. I pray you to do it for i4y 
 sake." 
 
 " Forget it ! How can you think that I can 
 forget it? You know very well that it is 
 impossible !" 
 
 " Still you must," she insisted. *' Yes, you 
 must say to yourself that you have — that we 
 have both had a dream, a very sweet and 
 brilliant dream; one of those from which one 
 awakens happy and exalted, to a certain ex- 
 tent, by a vision of beautiful things that have 
 suddenly vanished in air — impossible to de- 
 scribe. Have you never had such dreams? 
 One cannot, no matter how one tries, remem- 
 ber them, and still one loves them." 
 
 The caressing tones of her voice greatly dis- 
 turbed the young man. He had sat down 
 again, mechanically, without answering, and 
 with his face raised toward Bijou he burst into 
 tears. 
 
 She approached him and |^said compassion- 
 ately:
 
 S6 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Are you crying. If you only knew how it 
 grieves me to see you cry!" 
 
 And then almost harshly she continued: 
 
 " And if it is any consolation I can tell you 
 that I also am unhappy." 
 
 Overcome with delight, he asked: 
 
 "Is it possible?" 
 
 Denyse did not reply. She had just per- 
 ceived a letter on the table that Giraud was 
 finishing as she came into the room. 
 
 " I was writing to my brother," said he, in 
 response to her glance, "and instead of telling 
 him about my pupil, my occupations, and sub- 
 jects to which I ought to have confined my- 
 self, I wrote of no one but yourself." 
 
 Placing her rosy finger on the signature, she 
 replied: 
 
 " I was looking at your name. Fred! It is 
 a name I love. I have given it to my godson, 
 Bertrade's youngest child." 
 
 She seemed to be gazing afar through the 
 open window while she repeated softly: 
 "Fred!" Then suddenly pressing her slender 
 hand to her forehead she said: 
 
 " And the dinner! and my baskets! and the 
 menus, which are not even written! and it is 
 five o'clock!" 
 
 And as the poor boy remained there, half- 
 stunned and without moving, she asked: 
 
 " It is understood, then, about this evening, 
 isn't it? I shall order another place to be set."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 87 
 
 Vaguely recalled to his senses, he replied: 
 
 "Among all those dress-coats I shall pro- 
 duce a disagreeable effect." 
 
 " Why, no, not at all. And besides, there 
 will be plenty of other coats. In the first 
 place, there is Monsieur de Clagny in a frock- 
 coat, and then Monsieur de Bermcs, who, fear- 
 ing he may meet General de Burfieus, is-always 
 in uniform. Monsieur I'Abbe will be in his 
 cassock. And she concluded, laughing: ' ' That 
 makes three already who will not be in dress- 
 coats. " 
 
 As she was leaving the schoolroom she ran 
 against Henry de Bracieux, who was ^coming 
 toward her, in the corridor. He asked in sur- 
 prise: 
 
 "Come! what are you doing here?" 
 
 " And you?" 
 
 " I — 1 was going back to my room." 
 
 " Well, I was just leaving Pierrot's." 
 
 " Pierrot is in the garden." 
 
 " I didn't know that, and I had something 
 to say to him." 
 
 He asked suspiciously and almost aggres- 
 sively: 
 
 " To him or to Monsieur Giraud ?" 
 
 Without appearing to remark her cousin's 
 singular manner, she replied gently: 
 
 " To him, so that he could repeat it to Mon- 
 sieur Giraud; and as he wasn't there "
 
 88 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Then it was Giraud to whom you " 
 
 " Gave grandmother's message — yes." With 
 an innocent air she added: "Now, why does 
 it interest you so much to know to which one 
 of them I gave the message?" 
 
 He replied in a jesting tone, but witli some 
 embarrassment; 
 
 " Because I am curious, probably; and to 
 prove that I am curious I should like to know 
 what the message was." 
 
 "Grandmother bade me tell 'Monsieur Gi- 
 raud, who hasn't any dress-coat " 
 
 * ' Giraud has no dress-coat?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 " Not any at all?" 
 
 "There! You are saying exactly what I 
 did. No, not any kind of a dress-coat. He 
 had sent word that he would not dine with us, 
 then, as Monsieur de Clagny is staying to din- 
 ner, and as he is in a frock-coat I went to in- 
 form Pierrot, so that he could tell Monsieur 
 Giraud. Do yon understand?" 
 
 " Yes," said Henry, " very well. But Jean, 
 who is so smart and never travels without a 
 lot of coats — he must have at least three here — 
 he can very well lend him one. They are of 
 exactly the same height." 
 
 " That would be nice." 
 
 "Oh, nothing would please him better. 
 Giraud is a charming fellow whom we would 
 all like if "
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 89 
 
 He stopped short and Bijou asked: 
 
 "If what?" 
 
 " Nothing, ril go and arrange this affair. 
 At Father Clagny's age it is of no consequence 
 how one is dressed; but at Giraud's age it is 
 quite different. I am sure that he would suffer 
 greatly in thinking that he was appearing in a 
 bad light, particularly " 
 
 " Particularly " 
 
 " Particularly before you." 
 
 Bijou shrugged her shoulders and ran off 
 down the long corridor.
 
 90 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Although she had superintended the ar- 
 rangement of the table, the flowers, and the 
 melius, Bijou was ready before any of the 
 others. 
 
 Carrying an enormous basket of flowers in 
 her arms, she entered the drawing-room just as 
 the marchioness was leaving it to go to her 
 room and dress. 
 
 She was so occupied in arranging her flowers 
 on a console that she did not see Monsieur de 
 Clagny, who was regarding her earnestly as 
 she went backward and forward with the pretty 
 movements of a bird fluttering about before it 
 alights. Finally he spoke, and his voice 
 startled Denyse: 
 
 " Surely that pretty gown must have come 
 direct from Paris?" 
 
 " Ah!" said Bijou in confusion. " You gave 
 me such a fright." Then, coming up to the 
 count and lightly patting her gown of vaporous 
 pale pink gauze, she answered: " This pretty 
 frock did not come from Paris. It was manu- 
 factured at Bracieux, near Pont-dur-Loire." 
 
 Truly surprised, the count exclaimed:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 91 
 
 "Oh! really! and by whom?' 
 
 " By Denyse, at your service, and by an old 
 seamstress and occasional theatrical dresser. " 
 
 He had arisen and was now walking slowly 
 around her, surveying her with an air almost 
 of timid admiration. She was so pretty, 
 emerging from the rosy vapor that hardly 
 seemed to touch her wondei-ful little body and 
 from which arose her shoulders, tinted as well 
 with a singular pinkish luster and imparting 
 so original an effect to her downy and delicate 
 skin. And Clagny thought Bijou not only be- 
 witchingly pretty, but wonderfully captivating 
 with her tempting mouth and innocent eyes. 
 And while he. was examining her curiously, 
 Bijou was saying to herself that grandmother's 
 old friend was much younger than she had 
 thought. 
 
 He was a tall and still slender man, really 
 good-looking, with his hair very white on the 
 temples and his blond mustache as yet hardly 
 gray. His brown eyes had a sweet expression, 
 and his somewhat supercilious mouth when he 
 smiled revealed very white and pointed teeth, 
 exactly like those of a young dog, and which 
 lit up his whole face in a remarkable manner. 
 
 The silence became embarrassing, and at last 
 Bijou said: 
 
 "Hasn't grandmother come down yet? I 
 thought I should find her here."
 
 92 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " She left to go and dress the moment before 
 you came in." 
 
 "She will never be ready." 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny looked at his watch. 
 
 "But dinner is at eight o'clock. She has 
 plenty of time. It isn't half-past seven yet." 
 
 "Oh," said Denyse with regret, " if I had 
 known that I wouldn't have hurried so much. 
 I have such a horror of being late." 
 
 "Well, I for one am pleased that you did 
 hurry. I shall now be able to talk with you 
 for one little moment." 
 
 Laughingly she said: 
 
 " For a good half-hour, at least; for here no 
 one is ever before the time — never, and the 
 guests are no more in advance than the people 
 in the house." 
 
 "Oh I And about the guests — tell now 
 with whom I am going to dine. Your grand- 
 mother said, ' You will dine with some old 
 friends of yours.' Now, of friends I should 
 not have many, as it is twelve years since I 
 have been in the country and the inhabitants 
 have probably changed." 
 
 "Not as much as all that. Let us see. You 
 will dine with the Tourvilles " 
 
 ' ' The Tourvilles ? Aren't they dead yet ?" 
 
 " Those with whom you are going to dine 
 are living. They had some relations who are 
 now dead."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 93 
 
 "Ah! A la bonne heure ! Then little 
 Tourville is married ?" 
 
 "Two years ago." 
 
 " He was quite ugly. Did he make a good 
 marriage ?" 
 
 " That depends. He married Mademoiselle 
 Chaillot, a young lady of the Bourse." 
 
 " What, a young lady of the Bourse ?" 
 
 "Yes. Her father works in the Bourse. I 
 believe he is very, very rich." 
 
 " Is he Chaillot, the banker?" 
 
 "Very likely. I never inquired. They 
 have restored Tourville — it is superb; and they 
 entertain constantly." 
 
 " Is Madame de Tourville pretty ?" 
 
 " You will see. She is very amiable and 
 very intelligent, they say. As to me, I never 
 perceived it." 
 
 And as Monsieur de Clagny smiled she added 
 quickly: 
 
 " Because I know her so slightly." 
 
 "And besides the Tourvilles who else is 
 there ?" he questioned. 
 
 " Monsieur de Bernes " 
 
 "Little Hubert, the dragoon ?" 
 
 "The same." 
 
 "He is the son of some good friends of 
 mine, and as nice as can be. Don't you think 
 so?" 
 
 "Think what?"
 
 94 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " That Hubert de Bern5s is nice ?" 
 
 "Oh, I know him so slightlj'. He always 
 seemed to me — how can I express it ? — color- 
 less; yes, colorless." 
 
 " Because you frighten him, probably. I can 
 understand how that might be." 
 
 Laughingly she said: 
 
 " Perhaps I intimidate you ?" 
 
 "Very seriously he replied: 
 
 "A great deal." 
 
 "Oh!" cried she in surprise, "is it pos- 
 sible ?" 
 
 "It is very possible and it is true. So if 
 you can intimidate an old man like me it isn't 
 surprising that you should intimidate little 
 Hubert." 
 
 " Little Hubert ! Why, he is six feet tall. " 
 
 "Yes, but he is only twenty-six years old, 
 and to me he will always be little Hubert. In 
 any case, you will at least agree that he is a 
 handsome fellow ?" 
 
 "I don't know." 
 
 " Do you mean to tell me that you have 
 never looked at him ?" 
 
 "I have looked at him, but as far as Mon- 
 sieur de Bernes is concerned I am a very poor 
 judge." 
 
 "And why?" 
 
 " Because I detest very young men." 
 
 "At twenty-six one is no longer a very 
 young man."
 
 "/ am going to accompuny myself on the guitar!''' 
 
 CHAP. VII
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 95 
 
 "That may be; but at that age they do not 
 exist for me." 
 
 " Ah, indeed! And at what age do they 
 begin to exist for you ?" 
 
 She began to laugh. 
 
 "Very late." 
 
 Then changing her tone: 
 
 "I am glad that you know Monsieur de 
 Bernfes, for then, at least, you will not be too 
 greatly bored this evening." 
 
 " Ah! It appears, then, that I mustn't de- 
 pend upon the other guests to amuse me ?" 
 
 "Oh, no. The others— there are first the 
 La Balucs." 
 
 "Goodness! They are terrifying. And 
 their children? They ought to be growing up 
 by this time." 
 
 ' ' They have even stopped. Louis is twenty- 
 three and Gisfele twenty-two." 
 
 " What are they like ?" 
 
 " He poses, to the disgust of everybody. He 
 is never hungry or thirsty or sleepy any more. 
 He likes nothing, everything annoyc him, and 
 it isn't true, you know. He never misses a 
 ball, and his sister tells how he gets up in the 
 night and eats when no one sees him. And 
 then he writes ridiculous poetry, paints pictures 
 as absurd as his verses, and music— oh! what 
 music!" 
 
 " And the girl ?"
 
 96 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP.' 
 
 " She is as masculine as her brother is effem- 
 inate. Goes stag-hunting and dreams of 
 having a complete equipment, and that she 
 can dispatch the stag herself, and also dreams 
 of marrying an officer." 
 
 " She must be interested in Hubert." 
 
 " Who do you mean by Hubert ?" 
 
 "Littles Bern^s." 
 
 "Oh, no. I don't think so. In any case, 
 he isn't in the least interested in her." 
 
 "Because he is interested in you, like all 
 the othei's. Isn't it so?" 
 
 "Not the least in the world." 
 
 " Monsieur de Clagny shrugged his shoulders 
 and exclaimed: 
 
 " Come, now! it is perfectly clear to me." 
 
 "There are now only three remaining 
 guests for me to present to you," resumed 
 Bijou, evidently seeking to change the con- 
 versation: "The Juzencourts, and they are 
 bringing a friend who has come to pass a 
 month with them. A delightful little widow, 
 the Viscountess of Neizel." 
 
 "What!" said the count, with a sudden 
 gesture, " Madame de Neizel ? Jean de Blaye 
 is then here ?" 
 
 Denyse opened her beautiful clear eyes to 
 the fullest extent, and answered in surprise: 
 
 " Yes, Jean is here, but — what connection 
 is there ?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 97 
 
 "Not any! Not any!" quickly asserted M. 
 de Clagny, and after a moment's silence he 
 asked: 
 
 " Is she still i:)retty? Madame de Neizel," 
 
 "Very pretty." 
 
 ' ' As pretty as you ?" 
 
 Bijou smiled. 
 
 " Why do you make fun of me? I know 
 very well that I am not pretty." 
 
 "It is now my turn, my dear little Bijou, to 
 ask you why you make fun of an old friend 
 who admires you with all his heart, and who 
 is not the only one, alas!" 
 
 "Why alas?" 
 
 "Because when one admires, or when one 
 loves, one would like to be the only one to love 
 and admire; friendship is selfish and jealous." 
 
 With a merry smile she asked : 
 
 "And since — let us see! — how long? — three 
 hours — since the last three hours when our 
 acquaintance began you have already formed a 
 friendship for me?" 
 
 M. de Clagny answered seriously, and almost 
 with emotion: 
 
 "A very great one!" 
 
 "So much the better, because, don't you 
 see ? I also like you very much, oh! very, very 
 much!" 
 
 And as if speaking to herself, she added: 
 
 " I had formed such a different idea of you
 
 98 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 — I had expected to see quite another sort of 
 person." 
 
 " A younger man ?" he said sadly. 
 
 "On the contrary. They had represented 
 you as a friend of my grandfather. Grand- 
 mother always spoke of you ' as my old friend 
 Clagny.' And so, you understand, when I 
 saw you I received a shock." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Because you gave me the effect of being — 
 I can't say exactly how old — but about forty- 
 five; in fact, about the age of Paul do Kueille. 
 
 I then You are very handsome, and I 
 
 think a great deal of good looks." 
 
 "Your cousin De Blaye is a good-looking 
 man." 
 
 She appeared to reflect for a moment: 
 
 "Jean? Is he so very handsome? He 
 doesn't give me that effect. And besides, 
 you know, when one lives in the same house, 
 one ends by never seeing each other." 
 
 " I am very sure that he sees you." 
 
 " Oh, no. People don't look at me as much 
 as you think. They like me because I was 
 left all alone in the world at seventeen. And 
 then, when grandmother took me, like a poor 
 little stray dog, and gave me a home with her, 
 they all interested themselves in me, and gave 
 me a kind welcome. I have become the Bijou 
 whom they have brought up and whom they
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 99 
 
 spoil, whose faults they overlook, and who 
 always has her own way." 
 
 "And there the Bijou is right. The only 
 pleasure in life is to have one's own way when 
 one can." 
 
 " One always can," she said, apparently 
 without beiug conscious that she was speaking. 
 
 Then running to the bay window, she cried: 
 
 "Come, this is nice. Here are the Tour- 
 villes, and grandmother isn't down yet." 
 
 She ran forward to meet a lady who was 
 advancing, frightfully overdressed, and who 
 was followed by a common-looking man, with 
 an air of affected dignity and extremely snob- 
 bish appearance. 
 
 Bijou introduced the Count de Clagny to 
 the Count de Tourville. Then as the countess 
 entered, still beautiful in the cloud of lace that 
 enveloped her, she returned to talk with M. de 
 Clagny. 
 
 "Well," said she, "what do you think of 
 the Tourvilles ?" 
 
 " I don't like them. But I find Henry de 
 Bracieux greatly improved. He is not quite 
 as good-looking as his cousin yet, but he may 
 be, perhaps." 
 
 "As good-looking as what cousin?" 
 
 "Why, Blaye." 
 
 " Again! Ah, really. You seem to think a 
 great deal of Jean's beauty. "
 
 100 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 '■^ ZTon Dieu! Beauty is perhaps not exactly 
 the word, but he is charming, you will admit." 
 
 "I will admit that." 
 
 " That reminds me. Tell me, now, who is 
 that -very nice-looking young fellow whom I 
 met a little while ago at the end of the avenue?" 
 
 " Dear me! I don't know! Unless it were 
 Pierrot's tutor. But, he is not so very nice- 
 looking as you seem to think." 
 
 M. de Clagny motioned with his hand to- 
 ward the door and said: 
 
 '•There he is." 
 
 "Ah!" said Bijou in surprise, " can it be?" 
 
 She was amazed, both at the admiration ex- 
 pressed by the count, and by the transforma- 
 tion wrought by Jean's coat. In this well-cut 
 garment, which was wonderfully becoming to 
 him, the young professor appeared thoroughly 
 at his ease, and almost distinguished. And 
 Henry, approaching Denyse, asked, pointing 
 to Giraud: 
 
 " iZem/ Wasn't that a fine idea of mine? 
 No, but did you ever see such a difference?" 
 
 And as she did not answer soon enough to 
 suit him, he added: 
 
 "I'll bet that you don't. Women never 
 observe that sort of thing where men are con- 
 cerned." 
 
 The guests were all arriving. First the La 
 Balues, imperturbable and absurd enough to
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. lol 
 
 excite involuntary derision, eacli one equally 
 ridiculous in his own particular style, but so 
 happy and self satisfied, that it would really 
 have been a pity to undeceive them. 
 
 Then Hubert de Bernes, who came, as Bijou 
 had predicted, in uniform, and who was gaz- 
 ing searchingly all around the room, as if pass- 
 ing the guests in review. The Juzencourts 
 were the last to come, bringing with them Ma- 
 dame de Neizel, a very pretty woman, of a 
 supple and delicate beauty, with the languorous 
 grace of a Creole, a complexion of jasmine, 
 and heavy silken hair, intensely black of hue. 
 
 Bijou, who was regarding her curiously, as 
 if she had never seen her before, said to Mon- 
 sieur de Clagny: 
 
 "Madame de Neizel is really very pretty." 
 
 "Bijou," the marchioness called out, "Ma- 
 dame de Juzcncourt wants to see the children. 
 Go and get them. With your permission, Ber- 
 trade, and with yours also. Monsieur I'Abbe." 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny made a gesture of an- 
 noyance on being thus separated from Denyse. 
 It already seemed to him as if he could no 
 longer get on without her. She came back 
 very quickly, followed by Marcel and Robert, 
 and leading by the hand a superb baby of four 
 years, with an amiable and confiding smile. 
 
 "Here is my godson," ^said she proudly. 
 " Isn't he sweet, and beautiful, and good. 
 He's a perfect level''
 
 102 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " She is so nice to that chihl," said Madame 
 de Rueille; "she is always doing somethiug 
 for him. It was she who taught him how to 
 read." 
 
 "Already!" said Monsieur de Clagny, in a 
 tone of reproach, "they have taught him to 
 read already ?" 
 
 " Bijou teaches him many other things, don't 
 you, Bijou ?" asked the marchioness. " It ap- 
 pears you are now instructing your pupil in 
 sacred history; for, two days ago, he told me 
 all about Moses; he knew it all very well." 
 
 "Ah! par ea;empZe," said the count in a 
 teasing tone; "I should like to hear it. Go 
 on, unfortunate infant." 
 
 Graceful and tender, Bijou knelt down be- 
 fore the baby, but on hearing them speak about 
 telling his "story," the poor little boy turned 
 toward her with an imploring face. 
 
 "Tell it, Fred," said she. 
 
 Submissive, but discontented, the little one 
 raised his eyes to his godmother's face. 
 
 "Tell about Moses — you know it perfectly." 
 
 "Well, "said Fred, in a resolute tone. " They 
 put little Moses in a little basket, and they put 
 the little basket in the Nile." 
 
 He paused, his forehead bathed in perspira- 
 tion, but Bijou said: 
 
 ' 'And then what happened?" 
 
 " Don't know," said the little one shortly;
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 103 
 
 " don't know any more — don't know any more, 
 I tell you. You tell what happened." 
 
 "Come, come, aren't you going on?" said 
 Bijou. 
 
 " Please don't make me," he begged. 
 
 But Bijou insisted: 
 
 " Yes, but you must Something happened 
 while Moses was on the Nile. What was it ? 
 What was it that happened ?" 
 
 He thought for a moment, frowning with 
 closed eyes, and just as they had given up all 
 hopes of hearing, he cried, delighted with his 
 discovery: 
 
 " It was ' Buss in Boots ' who came, and who 
 cried : ' Help ! the Marquis of Carabas is drown- 
 ing !♦' 
 
 "There!" said Bertrade, laughing; "this is 
 the result of teaching so many fine things at 
 the same time." 
 
 And Monsieur de Rueille added: 
 
 " Two days ago Denyse gave him the mar- 
 velous ' Puss in Boots ' that we brought from 
 Pontsur-Louise, and which has done Moses 
 such great injustice." 
 
 Bijou turned toward her cousin and asked, 
 with a surprised air: 
 
 "Denyse! Since when have you called me 
 Denyse?" 
 
 "Why," replied Rueille, "I don't know; it 
 Bometimes happens."
 
 104 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 * * Never, So I thought that you were angry. '* 
 
 Then stooping down to her godson, she took 
 him in her arms and said, while laughing: 
 
 " My poor little Fred! we haven't either of 
 us been much of a success." 
 
 Giraud, who was at this moment standing 
 behind her, regarded her with admiration. 
 She pressed the child, who was smiling upon 
 her, closer to her and murmured in a caress- 
 ing voice: 
 
 "Fred, my darling Fred, I love you so 
 much; if you only knew " 
 
 On hearing his name pronounced with such 
 tenderness the young professor had trembled 
 from head to foot, and with great difficulty 
 had restrained the impulse that impelled him 
 toward Denyse. And he had grown so pale, 
 his face was so strangely drawn, that Pierrot, 
 who was not very observant or particularly 
 penetrating where Bijou was not concerned, 
 asked : 
 
 "What is the matter with you. Monsieur 
 Giraud ? How odd you look! Are you ill ?" 
 
 Denyse turned quickly around and asked 
 with interest: 
 
 "Are you ill. Monsieur Giraud?" 
 
 " I ? "Why, not at all, mademoiselle. I don't 
 know where Pierrot got such an idea." 
 
 "i)ame.'" said the perverse boy, uncon- 
 vinced, "just look at yourself — such a sight as
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 105 
 
 you are. Besides, you haven't been up to the 
 mark for the last three or four days. You 
 must have something the matter vrith you that 
 you don't know anything about." 
 
 "I assure you," murmured the unfortunate 
 youth in torment, "I assure you that there is 
 nothing whatsoever the matter with me." 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny had drawn near, he re- 
 garded little Fred (whose head was on Bijou's 
 shoulder) with envy and said: 
 
 "Your godson is superb!" 
 I " Yes, isn't he? And he adores me!" 
 
 As they were announcing dinner, she gave 
 the baby who was already asleep to the Eng- 
 lish nurse, who had come in meanwhile. 
 Standing before her, with a disagreeable ex- 
 pression, little La Balue was offering the acute 
 angle of his arm. She placed her hand in it 
 with difficulty, and, resigned to hei'fate, seated 
 herself at the table, between her cavalier and 
 Monsieur Giraud. Giraud, mad with joy, on 
 finding himself near her, became more awk- 
 ward and embarrassed than ever. His timid- 
 ity, already great, increased with the violence 
 of his admiration. He literally did not dare 
 to say a word, and was in despair, feeling that 
 he appeared absurd. He was not only in love 
 with Denyse, with her beauty, her grace, and 
 her wonderful charm, but he worshipped her, 
 too, for her goodness of heart, which appeared 
 to him now to be infinite.
 
 106 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 He had one day murmured evasive words of 
 love to a daughter of the principal of a school, 
 where he was a master, and he remembered, 
 not without fear, the angry contempt with 
 which the young hourgeoise had reproached 
 him, for daring to lift his eyes to her. 
 
 And now he had told this rich and beautiful 
 daughter of a great house, frankly and crudely, 
 that he adored her, and her answer had been 
 given only in sweet and affectionate words, 
 that discouraged without wounding him, and 
 then he grew sad over himself, knowing well 
 that his life, crossed by this impossible love, 
 would be forever marred. 
 
 How could he hope, after having known and 
 loved a woman like Mademoiselle de Courtaix, 
 that he should ever be able to care for any 
 woman whom his position would entitle him to 
 marry ? 
 
 And the poor boy, who, up to three weeks 
 ago, had sometimes dreamed of a snug apart- 
 ment, presided over by a little woman, fresh, 
 unassuming and modest, now saw himself for- 
 ever c ndemned to the miserable furnished 
 room, fhere he would some day perish, sur- 
 rounded by photographs of Bijou, wrested with 
 infinite pains from his pupil Pierrot. 
 
 At the beginning of the dinner, Denyse 
 spoke but little. Her glances wandered about 
 the table, and discovered a thousand trifles, so
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 107 
 
 amusing to those who can detect them. Ma- 
 dame de Bracieux had at her right Madame 
 de Balue, whom she somewhat neglected for 
 her old friend Clagny, placed at her left and 
 with whom she kept up a ceaseless flow of con- 
 versation. Monsieur de Jonezac, seated oppo- 
 site his sister, between Madame de la Balue, 
 and Madame de Tourville, seemed to be but 
 slightly amused, no more in fact than Madame 
 de Neizel, who, with a rather sad look, did not 
 interest herself very much in her neighbors 
 Henry de Bracieux and Monsieur de Rueille, 
 and often glanced in the direction of Jean de 
 Blaye, who was seated at the other end of the 
 table between Madame de Juzencourt and 
 Mademoiselle de la Balue. He appeared to 
 be paying no attention at all to Madame de 
 Neizel, and many times Bijou's eyes encoun- 
 tered his. As if this meeting had annoyed 
 her, she turned toward little La Balue, and, 
 suddenly growing amiable, began to talk with 
 animation. Then Jean's somewhat anxious 
 glance rested full upon her, and th re re- 
 mained. \
 
 106 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 VII. 
 
 After dinner in the drawing-room, as the 
 heat was overpowering, Madanae de Bracieux 
 said: 
 
 "Those who are not afraid of the evening 
 dew, /ou know, can go out on the terrace, or 
 in the garden." 
 
 Gisele de la Balue, a tall stout girl, mod- 
 eled on the lines of the statues in the Place de 
 la Concorde, and who affected free and boyish 
 manners, rushed out noisily crying: 
 
 " Who loves me follows me!" 
 
 Hubert de Bern^s politely took the hint. 
 
 Rueille, Henry de Bracieux, Pierrot and 
 Monsieur Giraud turned as one man to Denyse, 
 and Pierrot asked: 
 
 "Are you coming, Bijou?" 
 
 She saw Jean de Blaye go out talking to 
 Madame de Neizel and answered: 
 
 " In a minute I will rejoin you. I am going 
 to see if the children have gone to bed." 
 
 "But, mademoiselle," proposed the abb6, 
 " I can spare you that trouble." 
 
 "No. Thanks, Monsieur I'Abbe. But you 
 know I am not happy when I haven't given 
 Fred a kiss."
 
 BIJOU'S COUHTSHIP. 109 
 
 ' She went out by a door opposite the terrace, 
 and Monsieur de Clagny said to the marchion- 
 ess: 
 
 " Your granddaughter is decidedly the most 
 charming child imaginable." 
 
 And he added sorrowfully: 
 
 "It is when one meets women like that, that 
 one regrets being old !" 
 
 "I confess," said Madame de Bracisux, 
 laughing, that even when you were your j^, you 
 were hardly the husband I should have 
 dreamed of for Bijou!" 
 
 " And why not, if you please ?" 
 
 " Why, because you have — or at least you 
 had — a rather— how shall I express it? A 
 rather capacious heart." 
 
 "A capacious heart! Ah, yes, parhleu ! 
 You are right ! But then it was the fault of 
 those who didn't know how to hold me. I can 
 assure you that with a woman like Bijou, I 
 should never have had, what you are pleased 
 to call ' a capacious heart.' " 
 
 " N'onsense," said Madame de Bracieux in- 
 credulously, " how can one ever tell ?" 
 
 On leaving the drawing-room, Bijou crossed 
 the vestibule, and instead of going up the large 
 staircase which led to the children's room, she 
 raised the heavy tapestry of shaded green 
 foliage that concealed the door of the butler's 
 pantry, then just as she was opening the door
 
 110 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 she came back and took down from a hook in 
 the vestibule a long, dark cloak, a mackintosh 
 that she was in the habit of wearing in rainy 
 weather. She wrapped herself up in it quick- 
 ly and went into the butler's pantry where it 
 was perfectly dark. From the kitchen came 
 the loud, coarse voices of the servants who were 
 dining noisily. Denyse approached the open 
 window, then gathering up her skirts she 
 mounted a chair, stepped up on the window 
 sill, and jumped down lightly into the garden. 
 There she hesitated for a moment. The ter- 
 race could be seen distinctly in the light from 
 the drawing-rooms, and under the shadows of 
 the chestnut trees she could distinguish the red 
 glow of cigars. Suddenly pulling up the hood 
 of her cloak, she started on a run down the 
 dark alley which led to the avenue. 
 
 All this time her admirers were waiting on 
 the terrace for her to come and rejoin them, 
 as she had promised, and the stout Gisele 
 endeavored in vain to organize a game of hide- 
 and-seek. The men lacked enthusiasm; Ma- 
 dame de Tourville feared to injure her gown; 
 and Madame de Juzencourt was walking with 
 Jean de Blaye and Madanie de Neizel; she, 
 however, soon returned alone; and as, insist- 
 ing. Mademoiselle de la Balue wished to drag 
 her off to play, she refused with energy. She 
 was certainly not going to run, when she was
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. m 
 
 already much too warm from walking. She 
 had even been forced to leave Therese and 
 Monsieur de Blaye and she wasn't equal to any 
 further exertion. Left alone, Jean and Ma- 
 dame de Neizel had continued their walk, 
 she calmly carrying on the conversation al- 
 ready begun, he preoccupied and uneasy. ' At 
 last, unable to contain himself longer, he 
 asked: 
 
 "Why do you not reproach me? Why do 
 you not say some of the terrible things that 
 you are thinking about me ?" 
 
 She answered very gently: 
 
 " Because I have nothing to reproach you 
 about. Because I do not think of you un- 
 kindly." 
 
 "That means, then, that you love me no 
 longer ?" 
 
 In a tone so sad that it quite overcame him, 
 she answered: 
 
 " I no longer love you ? I " 
 
 He felt that she did love him so deeply, that 
 he could not bear to think of -the fearful distress 
 it would cause her, if he were sincere with 
 hei", and from motives of affection he forced 
 himself to prevaricate: 
 
 " Yes," said he, "you ought to know that I 
 think only of you." 
 
 "Ah ! my poor Jean," she replied, " instead 
 of such a falsehood, you would do far better 
 to tell me the truth."
 
 112 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "And the truth, you think, is that I lovo 
 you no more ?" 
 
 " Yes, that is a part of the truth." 
 
 Anxiously he inquired: 
 
 "And what is the rest ?" 
 
 "It is that you love Mademoiselle de Cour- 
 taix. Ah ! don't tell me it isn't. It is so 
 clear." 
 
 And after a moment's silence he added: 
 
 "And so natui'al!" 
 
 "Will you forgive me?" 
 
 "I have nothing to forgive." 
 
 In broken accents he murmured anxiously: 
 
 "So you don't mean to care for me any 
 more ?' 
 
 Amazed at such ingenuous selfishness, she 
 answered: 
 
 "And so you wish that I should continue to 
 care for you!" 
 
 " Do I wish it ? But what would become of 
 me without you — you, who are all my life ?" 
 
 And as she drew back in horror he went on: 
 
 "Ah! but what have you thought — that I 
 was going to marry Bijou perhaps ?" 
 
 "Why, yes." 
 
 He was going on to explain why he could 
 not marry his cousin, but reflected that the 
 material impossibility might wound Madame 
 de Neizel, whom he tenderly loved. So he 
 said:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 113 
 
 " Bijou is only a sudden and passing fancy 
 for me. What could you expect ? It is impos- 
 sible to live near her and not be intoxicated 
 by her beauty and bewildered by her frank 
 and unconscious coquetry. For fifteen days I 
 have been mad, and am so still. But on see- 
 ing you again this evening I feci that it is you 
 alone whom I love — you alone to whom I be- 
 long." 
 
 He drew Madame de NeizeFs pale face to his 
 shoulder, and stooping down he pressed his 
 lips to her fresh and beautiful mouth, and 
 holding her in his embrace he said, in warm 
 and caressing tones: 
 
 " Do you think I could love, as I love you, 
 that child whose finger-tips I have never even 
 touched ? Oh, forgive me, you who are so 
 kind! For if I have offended, it was only in 
 thought." 
 
 " I love you still," she replied. "But let 
 us go back at once; they will be thinking that 
 we are taking a very long walk." 
 
 On seeing them, Madame de Juzencourt, 
 who was seated on the terrace, called out to 
 them: 
 
 "What! have you been walking all this 
 time ?" 
 
 At the same moment Monsieur de Rueille 
 was saying to Bijou, who had just appeared at 
 the window:
 
 114 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " So this is the way that you come back to 
 join us. It is very nice of you." 
 
 " I couldn't come back sooner," she replied, 
 turning to go out by the door. 
 
 And lowering her voice, she added, drawing 
 closer to her cousin, Pierrot: 
 
 "I had to see about the tea, the ices, etc., 
 etc. You mustn't be angry with me." 
 
 "Be angry with you!" said Pierrot energet- 
 ically ! ' \Could any one be angry with you ? ' 
 
 Bijou did not reply. She was paying no 
 attention, but looking at Hubert de Bernes, 
 who was talking with Bertrade, and she was 
 surprised to find him so indifferent to her. To 
 be sure, he was polite, amiable even, but 
 nothing more, and she was not accustomed to 
 so much moderation. 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny appeared at a window 
 and called: 
 
 " Mademoiselle Bijou, your grandmother is 
 asking for you." 
 
 Denyse flew away in &, froufrou of skirts, 
 without even replying to little Balue, who was 
 saying to h^r, while pointing to Henry de 
 Bracieux, whose profile stood out in full light: 
 
 " Henry is very handsome, isn't he ? ' 
 
 "Bijou," said the marchioness, "are you 
 not going to sing something for us ?" 
 
 "Oh! but, grandmother, I beg of you," she 
 implored, greatly annoyed.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. II5 
 
 But Madame de Bracieux insisted: 
 "Monsieur de Clagny wants to hear you." 
 "Oh! then I am quite willing," said Bijou 
 sweetly, without taking into consideration that 
 this mode of consent was not a very gracious 
 one to her grandmother's other guests. 
 
 She went and took a guitar off of the piano, 
 passed the pink ribbon that was attached to it 
 over her head, and coming back, seated her- 
 self in the middle of the half-circle formed by 
 the easy chairs, saying: 
 
 "I am going to accompany myself on the 
 guitar. I like it better. It is more easily man- 
 aged." Then turning to Monsieur de Clagny, 
 she continued: " What would you like to have 
 me sing for you ? Do you care for old songs ?" 
 And without waiting she began to sing "The 
 Little Soldier:" 
 
 " Jeme suis engage 
 Pour Vatnour d'une blonde.''^ 
 
 [I have enlisted 
 
 In the love of a blond.] 
 
 She had a true voice, which she managed 
 cleverly, and she sang with plaintive sweetness 
 the ever-touching story of the little soldier who 
 wishes his heart to be wrapped " in a napkin 
 white. " 
 
 The drawing-room was filled as soon as Bijou 
 began to sing, and the faces were truly amus-
 
 116 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 ing to soe. Joan was listening, nervously 
 pulling his blond mustache. Monsieur do 
 Paieillc, moved by the mournful air, and 
 irritated by the sight of all these people ad- 
 miring Dcnyse, walked up and down at the 
 other end of the drawing-room, affecting not 
 to hear. Pierrot, open-mouthed, was gazing 
 with all his eyes. Little La Balue, with his 
 elbow resting on a console, had assumed a stiff 
 and ridiculous pose, and had fixed his dull 
 eyes upon the young girl's, striving to render 
 them magnetic with such bold persistency 
 that Henry de Bracieux was strongly tempted 
 to go up and slap him in the face. And even 
 the Abbe Courteil, his hands clenched, and 
 greatly moved, opened his eyes to the fullest 
 extent and breathed heavily. Hubert de 
 Bernes alone listened with polite attention, but 
 was comparatively indifferent. 
 
 All the women, with the exception, perhaps, 
 of Gisele de la Balue, admired Bijou sincerely. 
 Madame de Neizel listened with sad eyes and a 
 kindly smile. As to Monsieur de Clagny, all 
 that there was in him of sensibility and ten- 
 derness seemed to go out to this pretty, deli- 
 cate creature; his eyes, full of love, dwelt 
 equally upon Bijou's charming face, her little 
 rosy fingers running over the strings, and her 
 lissome figure. And when she had finished 
 singing, she came up to him, without paying
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 117 
 
 any attention to the compliments that were 
 showered upon her, saying, sweetly and coax- 
 ingly: 
 
 " It hasn't bored you too much, has it ?" 
 
 For a moment he did not answer. Emotion 
 choked him. At last he said: 
 
 " I shall often ask you again for that song! 
 Yes. I shall come to see you, and you shall 
 sing 'The Little Soldier.' Will you be so 
 good ?" 
 
 A desire seized him to hear Bijou sing for 
 him, for.him alone, without sharing her voice 
 and her charm with all these people whom he 
 loathed. 
 
 She replied, with a happy smile : 
 
 " You shall come as often as you please, and 
 I will sing anything that you like." 
 
 Then she glided quickly over to Jean de 
 Blaye, isolated at the other end of the draw- 
 ing-room, and said: 
 
 "It annoys you when I am singing, doesn't 
 it?" 
 
 Surprised at the question, and surprised also 
 that she should interest herself in him, he 
 said: 
 
 " No, indeed! Why do j'ou ask ?" 
 
 '' Because I just noticed you — pulling your 
 mustache furiously — and you looked as if you 
 were annoyed — ah! You did indeed!" 
 
 *' It is only an idea of yours!"
 
 118 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Why, no! I never have * ideas,' as you say, 
 where those I love are concerned. I am a good 
 deal of a clairvoyant on the contrary. Why 
 are you frowning ?" 
 
 " But T am not frowning." 
 
 " Ye.s, you are! And any one would say that 
 what I have just said annoyed you!" 
 
 " What have you just said?" 
 
 " That I was a clairvoyant! And it annoys 
 you, because you are afraid that I shall see 
 that there is some trouble." 
 
 Greatly worried, he asked: 
 
 ' ' Some trouble ? What is it ?" 
 
 "What is it? I don't know at all! But 
 surely there is something the matter. You 
 are no longer the same since we have been 
 at Bracieux." 
 
 " Really!" said he, trying to turn it into a 
 joke. "Am I so changed? Well! the most 
 curious part of it all is, that I was not in the 
 least aware of it." 
 
 Bijou shrugged her pretty shoulders. 
 
 " Don't try to deceive me, my poor Jean! I 
 know you too well, don't you see? Yes, you 
 are so changed! You have gradually become 
 brusque, anxious, and preoccupied Comet 
 do you want me to tell you why ?" 
 
 Seated at some distance from them, Madame 
 de Neizel was regarding them with the same 
 sad air of gentle resignation. Bijou's violet
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 119 
 
 eye glanced at her sideways, gleaming beneath 
 the heavily fringed lids, and she concluded 
 thus: 
 
 "You love some one who does not love 
 you!" 
 
 Jean de Blaye blushed violently and said: 
 
 "You don't know what you're talking 
 about!" 
 
 " Then why do you blush ? Oh! how proud 
 you are! You are vexed because I have 
 guessed it. " 
 
 After a silence, she added: 
 
 " Have you told her of it ?" 
 
 " Have I told her what ? And whom do you 
 mean ? But you are crazy, my poor Bijou!" 
 
 " To mad " 
 
 She stopped short, her face turned toward 
 Madame de Neizel, and concluded: 
 
 "To the one whom you love. Have you 
 told her that you loved her ?" 
 
 He murmured in a stunned sort of way: 
 
 " No!" 
 
 ' ' Are you afraid to ? But why ? I am all 
 the time hearing grandmother, Bertrade, and 
 Paul, and Uncle Alexis say that you are one 
 of those persons whom everyone falls in love 
 with. So she would be sure to love you, and 
 willingly marry you." 
 
 She leaned over to him, almost grazing his 
 ear, without regard to the effect produced by 
 this familiarity, and suggested:
 
 120 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 * * Now what do you say to this? If you would 
 like me to I would gladly speak to her! And 
 I am sure of her answer." 
 
 With a sudden movement, Jean arose, and 
 seizing Bijou's hand, exclaimed: 
 
 " What are you saying ?" 
 
 "I am saying that she will love you, if 
 she doesn't love you already," 
 
 ' ' But who are you talking about ? Who do 
 you mean ?" he murmured in alarm. 
 
 With a hesitating and ingenuous air, she 
 murmured so low that he could hardly hear 
 the beginning of the sentence: 
 
 "I am speaking of Bijou," cried Pierrot, 
 separating them rudely; " grandmother sends 
 you word that you have forgotten the tea!" 
 
 And observing their excited faces, he asked: 
 
 " Upon my word, you're both of you as red 
 as beets! To be sure, it's perfectly broiling in 
 here!" 
 
 And as Bijou ran off, he continued: 
 
 "They thought over there that you were 
 quarreling," 
 
 For the sake of saying something, Jean re- 
 plied: 
 
 "Ah! Did they, really ?" 
 
 "Yes! particularly grandmother, who was 
 sure of it. That's the reason she sent me to 
 get Bijou to make the tea. Do you mean to 
 say that nothing is bothering Bijou ?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 121 
 
 "And what do you suppose she could have 
 to bother her, my dear fellow ?" And he 
 added, smilingly: 
 
 "Who do j'ou think would ever dare to 
 bother her ? The position in this house would 
 not be a very pleasant one for any such per- 
 son!" 
 
 The boy replied with great animation: 
 
 " Because she is so lovely! And so kind. I 
 adore her! And so does Paul! And so does 
 Henry! And so does Monsieur Giraud! And 
 so do Bertrade's boys. And so does the abbe. 
 And so does everybody. Down to little La 
 Balue, who devours her with his eyes. He 
 who never notices anybody. Yes. He was 
 telling her, I don't know what, in a corner, 
 after dinner, and then, while she was singing ? 
 Did you see what eyes he was making at her ? 
 No, but did you see them ?" 
 
 "Oh, hush up, now!" said Jean, irritated; 
 " If you only knew how tiresome you were, my 
 poor Pierrot!" 
 
 As Bijou was re-entering the drawing-room, 
 Henry de Bracieux stopped her on the way. 
 
 "Tell me, now," said he with vexation, 
 " what La Balue was saying to you that was 
 so interesting, a little while ago ?" 
 
 " Whereabouts?" 
 
 " Here! After dinner!" 
 
 " Here," repeated Bijou, who seemed to be 
 thinking.
 
 122 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "After dinner? Come! now. You were 
 just the person he was talking to me about." 
 "About me ?" 
 
 "Yes, about you! He thinks you are very, 
 very handsome! But he thinks you don't set 
 a proper value on your looks." 
 
 " Have you finished making fun of me ?" 
 ' ' But I assure you I am not making fun of 
 you. He even advised me to tell you to wear, 
 instead of those frightfully high collars — this 
 is what he said, you understand — V.in Dyck 
 collars, which would not coneeil , our neck. 
 Yes. For it appears that you ha j a very fine 
 neck, and bones, and teeth. I siiould like you 
 to hear him repeat the list of your attrac- 
 tions." 
 
 "My attractions, mine ?" 
 "Yes. You fancied, perhaps, that it was 
 about mine that h^ as talking! Not at all! 
 He told me, besid^",' that he was going to re- 
 count all this ill verse! Not the Van Dyck 
 collars, but the rest." 
 
 " He is a fool, I '•t creature!" 
 "Oh! dear me, ao! He is only insignifi- 
 cant!" 
 
 " You are so good! You never run anybody 
 down. Attention! the la Balue clan are 
 beating a retreat." And in an undertone he 
 joyously exclaimed: 
 "Hip! Hip! Hurrahl"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 123 
 
 Monsieur de la Balue, who was coming back 
 from tlie vestibule, carrying a lot of cloaks, 
 regarded him with astonishment. And now 
 a little family scene took jilace in the hall. 
 
 The good man wished to absolutely compel 
 his wife and his daughter to envelop their 
 heads in common-looking knitted worsted 
 shawls, to avoid taking cold; they persisted in 
 not putting them on, and in the end he was 
 compelled to yield. Bijou, when she bade 
 Madame? de Neizel good-by, gave her her lit- 
 tle hand, ■^;nd gazed so directly into her eyes, 
 with such candid and curious expression, 
 that the young woman turned away, annoyed 
 by the persistency of this singular glance. 
 
 It seemed to her that this child had dis- 
 covered her secret, and it caused her infinite 
 pain. 
 
 But Bijou's charm was so great, her power 
 of attraction so strong, t. at she experienced 
 only a heartfelt affection ior the delightful 
 little creature, who was unconsciously robbing 
 her of her happiness. 
 
 " 0«t/," said Den yse jc jusly, coming back 
 into the drawing-room, where there was no 
 one now left but Monsieur de Clagny and the 
 family. ' ' Do you know that it is half -past 
 twelve ?" 
 
 " They were all of them regular fixtures. I 
 thought that they were never going to leave."
 
 124 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "The La Balue family is not a handsome 
 one," said the abbe. 
 
 "But they are not so very ugly," objected 
 the young gii'l. "When you're once used to 
 them, you don't mind." 
 
 "Little La Balue is horrible," said Madame 
 de Bracieux, " and then there is something cold 
 and clammy about him ; when you shake hands 
 with ^ -'m, it is like touching an eel." 
 
 "And the girl, too," said Pierrot,"ls "awful! 
 She has little eyes like a pig. And Louis has 
 little eyes, too. " 
 
 "They are very nice, all the same," said 
 Bijou con< latingly; while Madame de Bracieux 
 added: 
 
 " And they are of good birth. They are de- 
 scended from La Balue, from the cardinal, 
 from the true " 
 
 " Mon Dieu,''^ said Bijou gently, "it would 
 have been better for Gis^le not to have de- 
 scended from the ' iron cage. ' And to have 
 larger eyes — but as it can't be helped " 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny begun to laugh, and, 
 looking around for his hat that was hidden in 
 a corner, he remarked: 
 
 " It requires some courage to leave a draw- 
 ing-room like this — for one does not know how 
 he will be torn to pieces." 
 
 * ' Don't be afraid, " Bijou assured him. " We 
 won't tear you to pieces, although you would
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 125 
 
 be able to stand the process, but I promise you 
 that you shall be spared. Will you believe 
 me?" 
 
 And while affectionately pressing the little 
 hands stretched out to him, the count re- 
 plied: 
 
 " I will believe you."
 
 136 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 "Are you going to ride this morning, Bijou ?" 
 cried Pierrot, leaning out of the window. 
 
 Denyse, who was crossing the court, pointed 
 to her riding skirt, and said: 
 
 "Do you suppose that I would amuse my- 
 self by walking about in a cloth skirt on such 
 a hot day, if I were not going to ride ?" 
 
 " Where are you going ?" 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " So that we can follow you, M. Giraud and 
 I, at eleven o'clock." 
 
 The professor's head now appeared behind 
 Pierrot, while Bijou answered: 
 
 ' ' I am going to the Borderettes to give a 
 message to Lavenue." 
 
 Then perceiying Giraud, she said sweetly: 
 
 " Good-morning!" — then — "mt revoirP^ 
 
 Patatras was waiting in the shade. The old 
 coachman, who always accompanied Bijou, 
 mounted her, then got up on his horse, pre- 
 paring to follow. On seeing him, Pierrot 
 called out again: 
 
 " How does it happen that not one of your 
 cousins are riding with you ?" 
 
 " I didn't tell them that I was going out."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 127 
 
 " Ah!" said he, with regret, " if I were only 
 free! I'd go with you in a minute." 
 
 She turned around in her saddle with a sup- 
 ple movement, and replied, laughing: 
 
 " I shall never tell you again." 
 
 The flies were annoying Patatras, so as soon 
 as Bijou had passed the gates she started him 
 off into a galop, and cantered away in the 
 burning heat, facing the sun, which shone 
 with ardor on her pretty face, but failed to 
 turn it red. She only paused when she had 
 reached the precipitous path, covered with 
 rolling stones, that led to the Bcderettes. 
 At the foot of the hill, in the little valley, 
 fresh and verdant, despite the drought, arose 
 the farmhouse of pure white, crowned with 
 bricks, looking like a bi'and new toy. When 
 she had reached the foot of this steep descent. 
 Bijou drew a small mirror from her pocket, 
 and arranged her veil, and the scattered locks 
 of hair that were flying in wild confusion 
 about her ears and neck. Then she plucked 
 from the hedge a bunch of mulberry blooms 
 and fastened them in her waist, arranged the 
 lace-trimmed handkerchief peeping out of the 
 little side-pocket, and, resuming her canter, 
 rode up to the door of the farmhouse. A 
 harsh voice called out : 
 
 " Are you there, Mait Lavenue?" 
 
 And a small man-servant came out of the 
 house, saying:
 
 128 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Doesn't seem to hear me. I go look." 
 
 A moment after a tall man of thirty- five 
 appeared, thin, blond, with a slight stoop, a 
 perfect type of a Norman peasant; he was 
 panting, perspiring, and so red in the face 
 that he positively seemed purple. 
 
 " Oh," said he, trying to get back his breath, 
 "it is you. Mademoiselle Denyse. It is you, 
 then." 
 
 "Why, yes. Monsieur Lavenue," said she 
 smilingly, "it is I." 
 
 Advancing, with outstretched hand, he 
 asked : • 
 
 "Ain't you going to get down ?" 
 
 "No, thc-^' .'is. I only came to give you a 
 message from grandmother. It is for the con- 
 firmation breakfast on next Monday, but you 
 ought to know that, as you are mayor." 
 
 ' ' Yes, I know. " 
 
 " Of course, grandmother would like to have, 
 on that day, some very fine peaches, some 
 very fine pears, in fact a quantity of the fine 
 things that grow in the Borderettes garden." 
 
 "They shall all be sent. Mademoiselle 
 Denyse. Madame la Marquise can rest easy. 
 And they shall be well chosen. " 
 
 Then, seeing that the young girl was turn- 
 ing her horse, he said, gazing at her in speech- 
 less admiration: 
 
 ' ' You're not going away already ? Won't
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 129 
 
 you refresh yourself with a little drop ? With 
 a bowl of milk ? For that's what you like so 
 much, good milk." 
 
 And he added persuasively, while taking 
 hold of Patatras' bridle: 
 
 "A little drop would do the horse good, 
 too. He's so hot." 
 
 The language of " Mait " Lavenue always 
 amused Bijou. For this tall brute of a Nor- 
 man, who had emigrated ten years before to 
 Lorraine, had lost nothing of his primitive 
 accent. 
 
 It was Madame de Bracieux, who, discon- 
 tented with the farmers of Lorraine, had con- 
 ceived the idea of this import, •on. Never 
 had Charlemagne Lavenue fraternized with 
 the people of the country. He was feared and 
 admired by these simple, ignorant men, who 
 saw him grow rich under the same conditions 
 in which others had been ruined. He had 
 gradually transformed " The Br^derettes " into 
 a little Normandy, by getting " people from 
 home," to settle there; and so strong was his 
 position that he, the intruder, had succeeded 
 in having himself elected mayor of Bracieux, 
 jumping quite over the heads of former digni- 
 taries. Seeing that Bijou did not reply, he 
 took her by the waist and placed her on the 
 ground, saying: 
 
 "You will. Won't vou?"
 
 130 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Then giving the horse to the coachman to 
 hold, he showed her the door, stepping aside 
 so that Bijou could pass, when she suddenly 
 exclaimed, in pleasf J tones: 
 
 "Your house i*" so nice, Monsieur La venue. 
 Did I ever se'- this room before ? No I I 
 don't think so. ' 
 
 " You have seen it, mademoiselle — only —it's 
 because it's just been whitewashed. And, 
 you know, 'that changes things 1" 
 
 Smilingly she resumed: 
 
 "By the time you are married it will be 
 quite beautiful." 
 
 " Mait" Lavenue, who was gazing greedily at 
 Bijou, raised his bushy head, shook it, and 
 said, with some hesitation: 
 
 " I can't decide to give the farm a mistress, 
 because I can't find one to my mind " 
 
 And after a moment's silence he concluded 
 with : 
 
 "Among those whom I could have." 
 
 " But why not ? Any one of the young girls 
 in Bracieux, and in Combes, and in any of the 
 villages near Borderettes, would marry Mon- 
 sieur Lavenue! And there are some very 
 pretty ones among them too." 
 
 " I don't find 'em so!" he replied, twisting 
 around the enormous cap that he never left oflf 
 wearing, no matter what was the season. 
 
 " You are hard to please! Don't you think 
 Catherine Labour is pretty?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 131 
 
 "No, Mademoiselle Denyse." 
 
 "Nor Josephine Lacaille?" 
 
 "No, Mademoisclli' Deuyse." 
 
 "Nor Louise Pature?"; 
 
 "No, mad'moiselle." 
 
 She began to laugh! ., 
 
 "Then, is there no woman who can please 
 you ?" 
 
 " Yes. Why, there is — there's one." 
 
 " Who is it?" she asked, her beautiful, in- 
 nocent eyes gazing fixedly at the peasant. 
 
 Lavenue grew still redder, and, stooping 
 down with an awkward movement to pick up 
 his cap, which he had just dropped, he mur- 
 mured: ( 
 
 " I can't tell you. She isn't any one whom 
 I could have for a wife!" 
 
 Bijou did not hear his answer. With figure 
 and head thrown back, she was slowly drink- 
 ing a second bowl of milk. 
 
 And the farmer, who was rising from his 
 stooping posture, stood motionless for one mo- 
 ment, his eyes wide open, contemplating this 
 fragile creature with timid and awe-struck 
 admiration. And as Bijou, who had finished 
 drinking, examined him smilingly, he said, 
 while drying his forehead, which was stream- 
 ing with perspiration: 
 
 '■'■ Nom de nomf how hot it is!" 
 
 " Thank you, Monsieur Lavenue," said
 
 132 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Denyse, who had arisen. "The milk is de- 
 licious." 
 
 *' And so, are you going right off like that, 
 already ?" he asked, with a mournful look. 
 
 " What do you mean by ' already?' Why I 
 must have been here for at least a quarter of 
 an hour!" 
 
 " It hasn't seemed long, this quarter of an 
 hour!" he murmured: 
 
 And in a very low tone he added: 
 
 "I thank you very much, Mademoiselle 
 Denyse, for the honor that you have done me. 
 I shall not forget it — you may be very sure!" 
 
 Bijou, in getting up, had dropped the little 
 bouquet from her waist; and as she was look- 
 ing toward the door to see if the horses were 
 there, the tall peasant got down on his knees, 
 and, stretching out his brawny arm, snatched 
 the flowers, and concealed them quickly in the 
 opening of his blouse. 
 
 The servant was about to get down in order 
 to mount Denyse. She motioned to him not 
 to move. 
 
 " Monsieur Lavenue can quite well put me 
 up on my horse," said she; "he is very 
 strong." 
 
 She was just about to put out her foot, to 
 place it in the farmer's hand, but he did not 
 give her the time. Seizing her waist with 
 both hands, he placed her in the middle of the
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 133 
 
 saddle. Overcome with surprise, she ex- 
 claimed: 
 
 "Ah! indeed! I was right when I said 
 you were strong! How were you ever able to 
 lift me up like that, at arm's length, when the 
 horse is so tall ?" 
 
 Then, as he stood for a moment without 
 speaking, breathing hard, she concluded: 
 
 "There! So, you see! I was too heavy! 
 You are quite out of breath." 
 
 Without leaving him the time to reply, she 
 rode off, saying: 
 
 "J.M revoir! And thank you again." 
 
 As she was going out of the court she 
 turned around and called out to the farmer, 
 who had remained nailed to the same spot, 
 immovable, his arms hanging: 
 
 "Don't forget grandmother's peaches and 
 pears, Monsieur Lavenue." 
 
 Bijou looked at her watch; it was five min- 
 utes past eleven. She had just time to get 
 home without hurrying. She had to give 
 Monsieur Giraud and Pierrot the time to come 
 and meet her, and the recess did not begin be- 
 fore eleven. "While going through the village 
 she picked from a large vine of clematis, 
 which was hanging over the wall of a ceme- 
 tery, a bouquet to replace the one she had 
 lost. Then when she again found herself in 
 the country she once more took, out her little
 
 134 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 glass and lightly flufifed up her hair, which no 
 longer curled, being rendered liuij) by the 
 heat. At half -past eleven, not seeing those 
 whom she was expecting arrive, she grew a 
 little impatient, and forced Patratas into a 
 gallop; but as he was exhausted he suddenly 
 came to a standstill, wishing at all hazards to 
 graze on the hedges. All at once her pretty, 
 joyous face assumed a serious, ahnost sad, ex- 
 pression. She was in a little meadow on the 
 borders of a wood, when at this moment a 
 voice cried out: 
 
 " Hi! Bijou, is this the way you're burning 
 us up ?" 
 
 She stopped short, with a surprised look and 
 turned back. Pierrot and Monsieur Giraud, 
 who had been stretched out in the shade, got 
 up at once, leaving the impression of their 
 forms in the trampled grass. 
 
 "What! is it you already ?" said she. "I 
 didn't think that I should meet you at such a 
 distance from home. At what time did you 
 leave ?" 
 
 "A little before the time was up," replied 
 Pierrot; and he added mischievously, wiih a 
 side glance at his professor: " Monsieur Giraud 
 was a perfect love. He left off a little earlier, 
 without my being obliged to urge him a great 
 deal. And now, if we want to get back to Bra- 
 cieux by one o'clock we'll have to make tracks."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 135 
 
 While they were walking beside Bijou she 
 asked, addressing Giraud: 
 
 '' Have you recovered since last evening?" 
 
 " Recovered, mademoiselle!" said the young 
 professor, " why recovered ?" 
 
 "Because you couldn't have heen much 
 amused. Monsieur de Tourville and Monsieur 
 de Juzencourt both in succession blockaded 
 you in corners to relate to you, one of them, 
 how Charles de Tourville had embarked with 
 William the Conqueror in 1066; and the other, 
 how a Juzencourt in 1477 had fought against 
 Charles the Bold under the walls of Nancy. 
 Isn't it true ?" 
 
 "Quite true. And Monsieur de Juzencourt 
 added that there was nothing but blue blood 
 in his family. I didn't quite understand 
 why he told me that." 
 
 " In order to prove to you that, traced clear- 
 ly, to be sure only from 1477, but without the 
 slightest mesalliance^ the Juzencourts are more 
 distinguished than the Tourvilles." 
 
 "Ah!" 
 
 "Yes. Monsieur de Tourville has married 
 a.young lady who is all very well, but whose 
 father is in the Bourse, and whose name is 
 Chaillot. So you see that, on the Tourville 
 side, if the blood is older, it is less pure. You 
 kept your countenance so well, while listening 
 to all that stuff, that I should certainly have 
 laughed if you hadn't looked so unhappy."
 
 136 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "It wasn't due to the dullness caused by 
 stories of the Tourvilles and Juzencourts that 
 gave him that look," observed Pierrot. " For 
 some time past he is always like that; even 
 when he is with me; and I can tell you, too, 
 that I don't overwhelm him with tales of 
 Charles the Bold or of William the Con- 
 queror." 
 
 " I am quite sure of it," said Bijou, laugh- 
 ing. 
 
 '■'■ Mon Dieu! there wouldn't be any trouble 
 about it; I could do it very well; but zutP'' 
 
 " Zut again," said the young tutor, annoyed 
 and in a tone of reproach. " You know that 
 Monsieur de Jonzac detests that way of speak- 
 ing; he would like you to be more of a purist, 
 more choice in your conversation." 
 
 "Nonsense! If papa were to talk with my 
 friends he would hear a good many more such 
 expressions, and he'd get used to them very 
 soon; it's always so. It's a question of influ- 
 ence." 
 
 "I can't very well imagine Uncle Alexis 
 being influenced by the conversation of your 
 companions," said Bijou. 
 
 While speaking she stopped suddenly, point- 
 ing to something in the woods. 
 
 "Oh, what beautiful fruit! Aren't they 
 pretty — those bunches ?" 
 
 "Would you like to have some of them?" 
 proposed Pierrot.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 137 
 
 " I should indeed; they are so fine." 
 
 Pierrot plunged into the underbrush; they 
 could hear the cracking of the branches that 
 he demolished on the way; and soon the red 
 top of the tree shook and bent over, lowering 
 and rising in sudden shocks. 
 
 Bijou, with her head inclined and a vague 
 look in her eyes, seemed to be dreaming, ob- 
 livious of what was passing around her. 
 
 Pierrot's voice crying, "Must I pick very 
 many ?" made her tremble. 
 
 Giraud, who was gently patting Patatras' 
 shoulder, asked timidly: 
 
 "Have you anything to trouble you, made- 
 moiselle ?" 
 
 "I? Why, no. Why do you ask ?" 
 
 " Because you don't seem like yourself . You 
 appear somewhat sad. " 
 
 "Sad? Do I?" 
 
 "Yes. Just now, when you were passing 
 by us without seeing us, you appeared sad, 
 very sad, and now again." 
 
 " A little while ago it is quite possible. Yes, 
 I was not gay then. But now there is no 
 reason why I shouldn't be. On the contrary, I 
 am so happy here in these velvety fields, under 
 this beautiful sun, that I love so dearly! She 
 concluded without noticing the young man and 
 speaking as in a dream. "Yes. I am so 
 happy! I should like to remain like this for. 
 ever, forever."
 
 I3g BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 She pressed to her lips the little bouquet of 
 clematis with which she had beea toying for 
 the last minute or two, then rejilaced it in her 
 waist, witliout noticing the hand that Giraud 
 extended passionately toward the poor little 
 flowers that had already begun to droop. 
 Pierrot came out of the thicket, bearing an 
 enormous bunch of fruit. Bijou, who had re- 
 sumed her smiling mien, thanked him, saying: 
 
 "You are so nice, my dear Pierrot I and it's 
 awfully good of you! particularly, as you'll 
 have the trouble of carrying them for another 
 mile." 
 
 " Pshaw! I'd do a good deal more than that, 
 to give you any pleasure!" 
 
 " You are a good Pierrot!" 
 
 " 'Tisn't because I'm good!" 
 
 He went up close to her, rubbing against 
 the horse, and concluded in a very low tone 
 with: 
 
 " It's because I love you!" 
 
 Bijou did not reply. 
 
 At the end of a moment, Pierrot resumed: 
 
 " I tell you what, you sang well last night! 
 — didn't she. Monsieur Giraud ?" 
 
 "Wonderfully well," said the professor; 
 "and you have such, a pretty voice— so pure, 
 so fresh! Ah! I can understand now what I 
 didn't understand yesterday." 
 
 " And pray, what is that ?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 139 
 
 •'The infinite power of the voice! Yes, be- 
 fore hearing you I was ignorant of what I now 
 know very well. You will sing again, will you 
 not, mademoiselle ? When I think that for the 
 three weeks I have been in the chateau I have 
 never before had the happiness of " 
 
 "I will gladly give you this 'happiness' 
 whenever you please." 
 
 She was jesting now. The little creature of 
 the dream, a while ago, had again become— 
 Bijou. As they neared the castle she shaded 
 her eyes with her hand and said : 
 
 " What's going on there? the front door is 
 crowded with people." 
 
 Pierrot answered, with annoyance: 
 
 '^Farbleu! It's all of them watching for 
 you. There's Paul. There's Henry. And 
 Monsieur le Abbe. And Uncle Alexis, and 
 Bertrade. Let me see. Who are those ? You 
 are right. There are some other people. Ah! 
 it is father Dubuisson, and Jeanne, and there's 
 another man besides whom I don't know. A 
 man all in black — beu ! he must suffer a good 
 deal from cold to come out to the country in a 
 black suit on such a hot day." 
 
 " Perhaps it's Monsieur Spiegel," said Bijou, 
 *' Jeanne's j^ance. He was to come to us." 
 
 ' ' Yes, it must be. Say now. Doesn't he look 
 solemn ? Jeanne's^awce, and so does she too." 
 
 Bijou had turned around to see what had
 
 140 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 become of Giraud, who was not saying any- 
 thing. He was following the young girl, 
 adoring her like an idol, at this moment, when 
 Pierrot was very much occupied in looking in 
 the direction of the castle; the little bouquet 
 of clematis fell from Bijou's waist and rolled 
 at the professor's feet. He picked it up quick- 
 ly, and slipped it into his pocketbook, after 
 having kissed it with a species of passionate 
 devotion, and the old coachman, who was 
 standing behind him, silent and correct, sud- 
 denly began to laugh.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 141 
 
 IX. 
 
 Monsieur Dubuisson, whom the students 
 were in the habit of calling "Father Dubuis- 
 son," was the principal of the academy. He 
 had brought his daughter to Bracieux, where 
 she was to pass a week with Bijou. Jeanne's 
 fiance, a young professor, recently appointed 
 one of the faculty of Pont-sur- Loire, had ac- 
 companied them. 
 
 " How warm you must be, my Bijou," cried 
 the marchioness, appearing at a window. 
 
 " Why, no, grandmother," replied Denyse, 
 leaning on Monsieur de Rueille's arm, as she 
 got down off the horse; " Monsieur Giraud 
 and Pierrot are the ones who ought to be warm. 
 As to me, I'm all right." 
 
 She gave Jeanne a hearty kiss, said good- 
 morning to Monsieur Dubuisson, and with a 
 hesitating air turned to the professor, who was 
 gazing at her in open-mouthed admiration. 
 
 " Bijou, this is Monsieur Spiegel," said 
 Mademoiselle Dubuisson. 
 
 With a pretty gesture, that was very grace- 
 ful and taking, Bijou gave her soft little hand 
 to the young man, saying:
 
 14^ BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " "We are old friends already." 
 
 Then leaning over, she murmured in Jeanne's 
 ear: 
 
 " lie is charming, do you know, quite charm- 
 ing !" 
 
 Did Monsieur Spiegel hear these words of 
 amiable appreciation, or was it by chance that 
 he grew intensely red at that moment ? 
 
 "Go quick and change your dress. Bijou," 
 commanded the marchioness, 
 
 "But, grandmother, I am not warm — really 
 and truly." 
 
 " Come here, so that I can see." 
 
 Bijou went obediently and sat down beside 
 Madame de Bracieux; then leaning over, she 
 stretched out her neck, as she was now quite 
 accustomed to these hygienic demonstrations. 
 
 "Well, grandmother," said she, when her 
 grandmother had withdrawn her hand that she 
 had introduced between the collar of the shirt 
 ^and the skin, ' ' well, didn't I tell you " 
 
 " It's perfectly true," grumbled Madame de 
 Bracieux. " She isn't warm. It is incredible. 
 Then you may stay as you are if you wish to." 
 
 She made her granddaughter turn around 
 in front of her, and, evidently pleased with 
 the effect, remarked: 
 
 "Besides, you will do very well. These 
 white jj/gwe habits are extremely becoming." 
 
 "They are becoming to Bijou," said Ber-
 
 
 " He picked it u/< qiiickly and slipped it into 
 Ji is pocketbook. ' '
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 143 
 
 trade, "because everything is becoming with 
 her complexion; but these little English habits 
 are fearfully trying to the majority of women." 
 
 The Abbe Courteil regarded the black skirt, 
 the white jacket, and Bijou herself, and said 
 with conviction: 
 
 " In any case, this combination of black and 
 white is most charming. Mademoiselle Denyse 
 looks like a magnified swallow." 
 
 "Eh ! eh !" said the marchioness, regarding 
 the abbe with a benevolent look, "that's a 
 vei'y pretty comparison." 
 
 While every one was thus taken up with 
 Bijou, she, very amiably, without paying any 
 attention to what they were saying about her, 
 was talking with Monsieur Spiegel, who felt 
 rather alone among so many strangers. 
 
 He was a young man, with a serious and 
 gentle expression, who might have appeared 
 pedantic had not the brightness of his eyes 
 neutralized the severity of his mouth and the 
 austerity of his demeanor. He was quite tall and 
 slender, dressed in well-cut clothes of somber 
 hue, and in general appearance gave somewhat 
 the impression of a distinguished young cler- 
 gyman. Fascinated and dazzled by Bijou's 
 grace and beauty, he gazed upon her with eyes 
 full of ecstasy and wonder, while she examined 
 him, when unobserved, sui'prised to find 
 Jeanne's fiance so presentable. The breakfast
 
 14:4 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 appeared long. All of the marchioness' guests 
 were observing each other, some preoccupied 
 and silent, othei's more loquacious, but singu- 
 larly preoccupied as well. 
 
 Madame de Braeieux, without in the least 
 understanding the cause, was conscious of a 
 certain change in the situation, of a sort of 
 transformation that had taken place during 
 the last few days. She no longer recognized 
 the little world that she had hitherto been ac- 
 customed to guide so readily according to her 
 will. Monsieur Spiegel and Bijou, who were 
 sitting next to each other, were the only ones 
 who conversed with the animation of those who 
 talk, not only because they wish to say some- 
 thing, but because they have something to say. 
 Jeanne Dubuisson, who was seated at Mon- 
 sieur Spiegel's right hand, turned toward him 
 several times with a little flash in her kind blue 
 eye. She reflected with chagrin that it was 
 quite evident that her fiance took more pleas- 
 ure in looking at Bijou than he had ever taken 
 in regarding her. And a feeling of sadness 
 came over her when she thought of how he had 
 never gazed at her with eyes like those which 
 were now fixed upon Bijou. 
 
 Jeanne, who was nineteen, appeared much 
 older than Bijou, although they were some- 
 what of the same style. Her hair, which like 
 Bijou's was blond, was, however, less cendre,
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 145 
 
 less bright, but thicker; her eyes were of a less 
 rare tint of blue; her teeth were as white but 
 less regular, her complexiou less brilliant, and 
 her bones larger. Bijou, who was quite short, 
 wore too high heels, in order to increase her 
 height, while Jeanne, who was rather tall, 
 always wore very low flat English heels. 
 While one produced a certain dazzling and 
 brilliant impression, the other passed almost 
 unperceived, her beauty derived rather from 
 the great charm of her exquisite kindness of 
 heart. 
 
 After breakfast Bijou led Jeanne into the 
 park. She had hardly seen her since her 
 marriage had been arranged. 
 
 " Why," asked she, " did you tell me in 
 such a mild way that M. Spiegel was nice ?" 
 
 "Why," said Mademoiselle Dubuisson, 
 " because I think he is; don't you ?" 
 
 ' ' Don't pretend to be so stupid. You know 
 perfectly well that he is a great deal more 
 than 'nice'." 
 
 " But " 
 
 " Yes, indeed. From the description I re- 
 ceived of him from you I expected to see an 
 ordinary little man, of a somewhat staid ap- 
 pearance, and instead you have introduced a 
 man who is really charming. One usually lets 
 one know beforehand — one doesn't spring such 
 surprises upon one's friends," and without
 
 146 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP, 
 
 leaving Jeanno the time to answer, she asked, 
 " When did you meet him V 
 
 " This spring, at Easter, when we went to 
 Bordeaux to visit my aunt." 
 
 "And was it arranged all at once ?" 
 
 " No, but I liked him from the first." 
 
 " That's just like you — you're such a soft- 
 hearted creature." 
 
 " And I very soon saw that he greatly en- 
 joyed being with me." 
 
 "And then?" 
 
 "And then we pai'ted, and my heart was 
 full, naturally, for I thought that I had de- 
 ceived myself — that ho didn't care for me at 
 all." 
 
 " You never said anything to me about it." 
 
 "No, for in the first place I imagined that 
 it was all over. Then, to no one, not even to 
 you, would I wish to speak of such a subject. 
 It seems to me that when one is very much in 
 love, one should only talk of one's love to one- 
 self. It is the only way one can be truly 
 understood." 
 
 "Then," said Bijou, laughing, "you think 
 that I understand nothing about love ?" 
 
 " About love as I understand it ? no! You 
 are too pretty, too much made of, too much 
 adored, to be able, like myself, to concentrate 
 your heart upon one sole intense affection," 
 
 Bijou sighed, and said with sadness: 
 
 1
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. I47 
 
 " It must be so nice to love like that." 
 
 " Dear me, it would be easy enough for you. 
 Your cousin De Blaye adores you. Oh, don't 
 attempt to deny it. It is quite evident. I saw 
 it at once." 
 
 " You are dreaming," said Bijou in astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 ' ' No, indeed, he loves you, loves you madly, 
 and he seems to me a man worthy of your 
 love." 
 
 "Instead of talking such nonsense, finish 
 telling me about your betrothal. We had got 
 as far as where you had left Bordeaux — when 
 you were thinking that all was over. Then 
 after that ?" 
 
 "Then after that, fifteen days ago, the 
 chair of philosophy was left vacant, and papa 
 learned with surprise that M. Spiegel had been 
 appointed to fill it, and he said to me, ' It's a 
 disgrace — Pont-sur-Loire is not as important a 
 place as Bordeaux.' And then, after all, it 
 wasn't in the least a disgrace." 
 
 "So it was he who had requested this 
 change." 
 
 " Precisely, and last Monday he came to the 
 house with his mother, who asked papa for 
 his consent to my marriage with her son." 
 
 " What kind of a person is his mother?" 
 
 "Very nice — still handsome, but very se- 
 vere— a little hard."
 
 148 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "You mustn't mind that; all Protestant 
 women give that effect." 
 
 "How did you know that she was a Pro- 
 testant ?" 
 
 "Because I supposed 'that she was of the 
 same religion as her son." 
 
 "But who told you that M. Spiegel was a 
 Protestant ?" 
 
 "Nobody. I saw it at once; it didn't take 
 me long to discover it." 
 
 " Bat how could you tell ?" 
 
 " I couldn't say, but I was sure of it all the 
 same. You are very fortunate to marry a 
 Protestant, they are more serious, more con- 
 siderate, more devoted." 
 
 "Yes, perhaps so; but his mother seems, as 
 I said, very severe, very — and she is to live 
 with us." 
 
 " Well, so much the better. Isn't it a safe- 
 guard to have a rather austere mother with 
 you ? It at once inspires respect." 
 
 " I don't think that I require the presence 
 of any one to inspire respect, and in any case 
 it seems to me that so far as that goes the 
 husband is " 
 
 "Oh! the husband doesn't count!" 
 
 " Doesn't count ?" 
 
 " No, now with parents it is quite different, 
 and I have been educated to believe in parents 
 ^n the belief that their presence brings not
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP, 149 
 
 only respect but happiness to the hearth- 
 stone." 
 
 "Well, I think so, too, where papa is con- 
 cerned; but after all Madame Spiegel is a 
 stranger to me — and I am a little vexed with 
 her for coming to disturb the intimacy of 
 our fireside, that I should have so much en- 
 joyed." 
 
 " You must say to yourself that she is your 
 husband's mother, and that as he loves her 
 your affection for him ought to m-.^e you 
 care for her, too." 
 
 "You are right. How I wish I were like 
 you, my dear Bijou. You are so much better 
 than I." 
 
 " I ? Oh, I am an angel, that's understood.'* 
 
 "You are joking — but it is true, now." 
 
 "Tell me. Won't it make me feel very 
 badly to leave yonr fiance for this whole week 
 that you have so kindly promised to pass 
 with me ?" 
 
 "No; besides he will come to see me with 
 papa — with your grandmother's permission — 
 and then he is going to Paris for several 
 days." 
 
 "And here am I, like a goose, forcing you to 
 walk with me — without stopping to think that 
 the unfortunate youth is surely grieving over 
 your absence. Don't you want to go back f 
 
 "Yes, I should like to."
 
 150 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 A gleam of light stole from beneath Bijou's 
 curling lashes, as she asked, with an air of in- 
 difference: 
 
 "Tell me now — what was it that gave you 
 such a strange idea — that Jean de Blaye was 
 in love with me." 
 
 " The way in which he looked at you all the 
 while we were at breakfast, and also his an- 
 noyance when we were awaiting you this 
 morning at the front door and saw you arrive 
 with little Jonzac and his tutor." 
 
 "You have too much imagination." 
 
 "No, I am sure that he likes you— a great 
 deal. And you ?" 
 
 *'I?" 
 
 " Yes. Don't you like him ?" 
 
 " No; at least not in the way that you mean. 
 He is my cousin — and I like him as one likes a 
 very nice cousin — but whom one knows too 
 well to care for in any other way. " 
 
 "That's a pity." 
 
 "But why?" 
 
 "Because it seems to me that you might be 
 happy with him." 
 
 Bijou shook her head. 
 
 " I don't think so. I require a more serious 
 husband than Jean." 
 
 "More serious? But Monsieur de Blaye 
 must be at least thirty-four or thirty-five 
 years old."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 151 
 
 "What difference does that make? He is 
 not serious, you know. Not ut all." 
 
 " Oh ! I didn't know." 
 
 "As to me, I should like to have a husband 
 who cared for no one but myself." 
 
 " Any one as pretty and attractive as your- 
 self can rest perfectly easy on that score." 
 
 Bijou suddenly came to a standstill in the 
 middle of the walk, and shading her eyes ex- 
 claimed: 
 
 "Isn't that a carriage over there in the 
 avenue ?" 
 
 "Yes, certainly." 
 
 "But is it really a carriage? I can't see 
 anything. I am so near-sighted." 
 
 "It is a phaeton with two horses, and a 
 gentleman driving, whom I do not know." 
 
 " Is it really ?" 
 
 And as Jeanne nodded she said- 
 
 "It is Monsieur de Clagny,' a friend of 
 grandmother's, the proprietor of La Noriniere." 
 
 " Ah ! that man who is so rich ?" 
 
 " So rich ? What makes you think that he is 
 so very rich ? I never heard a word about it." 
 
 "Why, yes, he has an immense fortune — 
 all in lands." 
 
 But Bijou was not listening. She had gath- 
 ered a daisy, that was growing in the grass, 
 bending its timid head over the pathway, and 
 quite absorbed she was pulling out the leaves.
 
 152 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Well," asked Jeanne, smiling, "how does 
 he love you ?" 
 
 Bijou raised her pretty head in surprise. 
 
 " Who do you mean ?" 
 
 "The one about whom you were question- 
 ing the daisy. Marguerite." 
 
 " I don't know. I wasn't asking about 
 anybody." 
 
 " And what is the answer?" 
 
 "Passionately." 
 
 "Well, it has answered for every one." 
 
 And going up the front steps behind her 
 little friend, Jeanne added: 
 
 "It's true. Everyone loves you, and you 
 really deserve it." 
 
 When the two young girls entered the hall, 
 the somewhat sleepy countenances again awoke 
 to life. Henry de Bracieux murmured an 
 "At last. It's about time." Which caused 
 his grandmother to glance at him keenly. 
 While Monsieur de Clagny almost ran forward 
 to meet Bijou: 
 
 " Oh ! how nice !" said she sweetly; " it is so 
 kind of you to come and see us so soon 
 again." 
 
 ' * Too kind ! You're going to have more 
 than you want of me." 
 
 "Never!" replied she, smiling. 
 
 Then taking Jeanne's hand she introduced 
 her.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 153 
 
 "Jeanne Dubuisson, my best friend, whom 
 I am going to lose, for she is going to be 
 married." 
 
 " But," said the young girl in a grieved tone, 
 " why do you say that, Bijou. You know very 
 well that, married or not, I shall always be 
 your friend." 
 
 " Yes, so they all say; but it is never the 
 same thing. When one is married one belongs 
 no more to one's parents, nor to one's friends; 
 one belongs to one's husband, and to him 
 alone." 
 
 "How beautiful are these illusions," said 
 Monsieur de Clagny in an undertone. 
 
 " What is that you are saying ?" asked Bijou, 
 turning suddenly to him. 
 
 " Something stupid." 
 
 "No. I am perfectly sure that you are 
 making fun of me. You needn't shake your 
 head. I know that you are, all the same; and 
 it's because I said that when one is married 
 one no longer belongs to any one but one's hus- 
 band. Well, that may be very ridiculous, but 
 it's my opinion, and I am sure tliat Monsieur 
 Spiegel is of the same opinion too." 
 
 The young man smiled and bowed without 
 answering, and Bijou, still addressing the 
 count, said: 
 
 " Have they introduced Monsieur Spiegel to 
 you? No! then let me repair the oraissiorj.
 
 154 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Monsieur Spiegel, Jeanne's^awe^— who does not 
 dare to maintain that I am right, because he 
 has no one to help him — it's quite true, lie is 
 the only husband here, or almost the only one." 
 
 "Well, and Paul," said the marchioness, 
 laughing. 
 
 "Paul! Ah, yes! that's true. I didn't think 
 of him. Still the unmarried men predominate. 
 Henry, Pierrot, the Abbe, Monsieur Giraud, 
 Jeanne — ah! what is the matter with Jean? 
 he has a queer look." 
 
 Jean de Blaye, who was seated in a large 
 bamboo chair, with half dosed eyes, and his 
 head leaning on his hand, appeared to be 
 sleeping. 
 
 " I have a headache," he answered. 
 
 And as she persisted in questioning him as 
 to how he had got it, he exclaimed crossly: 
 
 "Why it's the migraine; can anyone tell 
 how one gets it; one has it, and that's all one 
 knows about it." 
 
 Bijou had stepped behind the easy-chair, in 
 which her cousin was reclining, without allow- 
 ing herself to be discouraged by his brusquerie, 
 and regarding his pale face, his drawn features, 
 the dark circles under his eyes, she continued: 
 
 " You must be very ill to look like that, and 
 above all to admit that anything is the matter 
 ■with you — you who always pose as a strong 
 man. My poor Jean. How I wish I could do 
 something for you."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 155 
 
 Then, leaning over, iipon the young man's 
 burning lids she pressed a lingering kiss. Jean 
 de Blaye grew quite pale, then very red, and 
 rising suddenly, with a quick gesture he ex- 
 claimed, in an irritated tone, and with un- 
 certain glance: 
 
 " You frightened me. It's very stupid of 
 me, I know, but I didn't see you, and then you 
 took me by surpi'ise." 
 
 'Monsieur de Clagny had arisen also, in a sort 
 of rage,on seeing|BiJou kiss her cousin, but un 
 derstanding how absurd such jealous emotion 
 must appear, he reseated himself and said in 
 ironical tones: 
 
 "If this remedy does not avail, Blaye's 
 disease must be incurable." 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille regarded Jean, who was 
 leaving the room, with envy, and addressing 
 Bijou in tremulous tones, murmured: 
 
 ""When I have the m/^frame — which often 
 happens, alas! — you are less compassionate." 
 
 Monsieur Giraud seemed petrified on the low 
 chair where he was seated; with eyes fixed on 
 the ground, and compressed lips, lie seemed to 
 have seen nothing. 
 
 But Pierrot exclaimed boldly: 
 
 " What luck he has! that plague of a Jean." 
 
 "Of course, of course," replied the Abbe 
 Courted, with conviction, "but he has a bad 
 beadache, all the same; le pauves, monsieur! 
 I know all about la migraine!"
 
 156 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 The marchioness leaned over toward Ber- 
 trade, and whispered in her ear, glancing 
 toward Bijou. 
 
 " Isn't she charming ? the dear little creature, 
 and so good-hearted, and above all such a 
 child. How simply and naturally she kissed 
 that 6Za.se' Jean — it seemed to frighten him." 
 
 " Didn't you observe that he left the room at 
 once, without even saying good -by to Monsieur 
 Dubuisson and Monsieur Spiegel who are going 
 away?" said Bertrade. 
 
 The marchioness turned toward the two 
 men who were advancing to make their adieu, 
 and said : 
 
 " Since we are keeping your Jeanne with us, 
 I hope that you will come and see her often." 
 
 "Do you mind staying at Braeieux? Now, 
 tell me truly," said Bijou, addressing her 
 friend. 
 
 "You know I shouldn't be in the least 
 vexed with you for preferring your fiance to 
 your friend. 
 
 " Spiegel is obliged to go and spend some 
 days at Paris," said Monsieur Dubuisson, 
 "and on his return I will come with him to 
 bring Jeanne back. " 
 
 On leaving the drawing-room, a few moments 
 before, Jean de Blaye had experienced most 
 unpleasant sensations. Bijou's innocent kiss, 
 bestowed so frankly before everybody, had
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 157 
 
 greatly distressed him. Must he decide to tell 
 Bijou of his love for her ? And even admit- 
 ing that she would not refuse to listen to him, 
 was he in a position to marry this marvelous 
 jewel, formed for a luxurious setting ? Many 
 times had he thought of it already, and had 
 always told himself that it would be an absurd 
 piece of madness on his part. And then, 
 Bijou would never love him enough to accept 
 such a condition of mild mediocrity. As he 
 had promised Madame de Nezel to go to Pont- 
 sur-Loire on the following day, he wrote her 
 a lino excusing himself. On sealing his let- 
 ter, he thought, she will not believe this pre- 
 text I am giving her — but she will understand, 
 and so all is over." 
 
 Then suddenly he felt alone in the world, 
 quite alone, for a singularly clear vision of the 
 life that would henceforth be his was now 
 plainly revealed, and the glimpse of this pros- 
 pect, so dreary and dark, made him shudder 
 with grief and regret. 
 
 While his poor head was thus tormented, 
 Bijou was showing Jean her room, saying: 
 
 "You are dreaming — I tell you you are 
 dreaming! — he likes me as one likes a cousin 
 — or even a sister." 
 
 " No ; one had only to look at his face when 
 he left the drawing-room — he was quite over- 
 come; I am sure that he is so still."
 
 158 BIJOU'S COURTSUIP 
 
 " Would you like mc to <^o and ask him? 
 But, no, it is seven o'clock! we have only just 
 time to dress. I shall come back for you, after 
 the fii'st bell for dinner." 
 
 "When Bijou, as ever, simply but charmingly 
 dressed, left her room, the large corridor on 
 the first floor was dark and silent. Every one 
 was in their rooms dressing for the evening. 
 The servants, who had closed the blinds, had 
 not yet lit the lamps. 
 
 Jean, who was leaving his room, dis- 
 tinguished in the obscurity a white figure, which 
 he hastened to rejoin. 
 
 " Is it you, Jean ?" asked Bijou. 
 
 " Yes, it is I— and — I have a word to say to 
 you.*' 
 
 "You mustn't be long, the first bell has 
 rung." 
 
 "I won't be a minute, but I prefer that 
 what I have to say should only be heard by 
 yourself." 
 
 "Would you like to go in your room, or 
 mine ?" 
 
 " In yours, as we are right by the door." 
 
 Bijou opened it, and when Jean had en- 
 tered she said. 
 
 "Wait — don't stir — or you'll hurt yourself. 
 I will turn on the light." 
 
 " He seized her by the arm." 
 
 " Don't bother about the light. I can
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 159 
 
 speak without seeing. Besides it won't take 
 long. I want to tell you, my dear Bijou, what 
 you did— you know, a little while ago." 
 
 She appeared to reflect. 
 
 *' A little while ago. What was it that I 
 did ?" 
 
 " You kissed me — gently, oh, quite gently — 
 but you are too old to do it — when there are 
 others present." 
 
 " And when no one is there — then may I 
 do it ?" asked she laughingly. 
 
 And before he had time to answer she 
 seized him by the shoulders and put up her 
 mouth; at that moment, as he bent his head, 
 their lips met. He uttered a low ery, while a 
 timid and plaintive murmur from Bijou moved 
 him so deeply that, determined to speak, he 
 tried to draw the young girl to him, but she 
 forced ba'^k the hands that strove to retain 
 her, and darted out of the room, and by the 
 swift rustling of her gown against the wall 
 he knew that she had flown away.
 
 ICO BIJOU ri CUUKTbUlP. 
 
 On the following day Mother Kafut arrived. 
 Bijou had expected to keep her for a week, so 
 she was greatly disappointed when the old 
 seamstress informed her that she could only 
 give her six days. The theater would be re- 
 opened on the first of September, and she 
 would then have to resume her situation of 
 dresser. Jeanne then proposed to help a little 
 on the gowns, and Bijou gladly accepted the 
 proposition. 
 
 " That's a splendid idea," said she. " If we 
 work together, we shan't get tired; and we can 
 talk without minding Mother Rafut." 
 
 So on that day, while the marchioness and 
 Madame de Eueille were engaged in making 
 what Jean de Blaye termed ''a round of visits," 
 they installed themselves in Bijou's studio, 
 transformed into a sewing room, and began 
 to cut, sew and chatter, seated near the old 
 seamstress. All at once Bijou asked: 
 
 " Are you going to the race ball ?" 
 
 "Yes," said Jeanne, "it appears that as I 
 am engaged, it isn't quite correct — but I shall 
 go all the same, because Franz wishes to see
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 161 
 
 me in eveuing dress; and besides he would like 
 to waltz with me — he waltzes very well, do you 
 know." 
 
 " He, with his austere air! Then, decid- 
 edly, you needn't mind marrying a Protestant." 
 
 "No, indeed! I am a thorough Catholic, 
 without being a bigot, and he is a good Pro- 
 testant, although no bigot. We each of us 
 think a great deal of our religion, but neither 
 has the slightest idea of converting the other." 
 
 As Bijou made no reply she added: 
 
 "I am not averse to the idea of having a 
 Protestant husband. I even confess that, 
 from certain points of view, it reassures me. 
 Yes, what you said yesterday is quite true — 
 that Protestants have certain ideas, stricter 
 principles where family life is concerned than 
 Catholics, and besides are devoted to their 
 wives." 
 
 "Yes. But tell me, what dress are you 
 going to wear to the race ball ?" 
 
 " I don't know yet. I haven't any." 
 
 " What! and the white one with little 
 bouquets ?" 
 
 " Papa doesn't think it's good enough. The 
 race ball is going to be at the Tourvilles this 
 year, and it will be a very fine affair." 
 
 " Oh ! yes, indeed." 
 
 " We don't know them at all — it will be our 
 first visit to Tourville. If I were badly dressed,
 
 162 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 that would be a poor compliment to your 
 grandmother, who got us the invitations. So 
 papa has told me to have a dress made, and 
 he has given me fifty francs." 
 
 "What did you think of having?" 
 
 " I don't know. What would you advise ?" 
 
 Bijou seemed to reflect deeply for a moment, 
 then she said: 
 
 " If you wish, we could both be dr:;ssed 
 alike; that would be ever so nice." 
 
 " What is your gown ?" 
 
 " It doesn't exist — it is yet to be. Pink, of 
 course, that is understood, and crepe — quite 
 simple with straight skirts cut like those of 
 the ballet dancer's, without the weight of a 
 hem — three skirts of the same length, one 
 over the other, you understand. Three will 
 make it sufficiently vaporous — any more 
 would be clumsy — and forming large round 
 godets; a very simple little pleated waist — 
 little puffs with bows of ribbon and a ribbon 
 sash, tied behind with large bows and long 
 ends, the ribbon no wider than the hand." 
 
 "How pretty!" 
 
 "And it will be awfully becoming to you." 
 
 "But," asked Jeanne somewhat timidly, 
 "won't you mind having my gown just like 
 yours?" 
 
 " On the contrary, it will give me pleasure. 
 Would you like us to make your dress here ?
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 163 
 
 I will try it on you, and then we shall be sure 
 that it will fit." 
 
 " How sweet of you ! So many other people 
 in your place would be thinking only about 
 themselves." 
 
 " What do you say to writing now and 
 telling them to send the crepe to-morrow ?" 
 
 Then she added laughingly: 
 
 " I ought to have told Monsieur de Bernes, 
 for he asked me last night if there were any 
 shopping I would like to have done in Pont- 
 sur-Loire. " 
 
 " He would have been rather at a loss." 
 
 "But why? It isn't difficult to buy pink 
 crepe, with a sample." 
 
 Mother Rafut, who so far had been sewing 
 away diligently, without saying a word, plying 
 her needle ceaselessly with a short, quick mo- 
 tion, now raised her face, wrinkled as an old 
 apple, and said: 
 
 *' And even without one." 
 
 " Without what ?" asked Bijou. 
 
 "Without a sample. Ah! no, indeed, he 
 wouldn't be at a loss. He has always chosen 
 Mademoiselle Lisette Renaud's gowns." 
 
 " Lisette Renaud, the singer?" questioned 
 Jeanne eagerly, while Denyse, quite absorbed 
 in her work, appeared not to have heard. 
 
 "No, mademoiselle, the dugazon,'''' replied 
 Mother Rafut.
 
 164 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " That is what I meant to say. Ah! Mon- 
 sieur do Bern5s knows her then ?" 
 
 " Yes, indeed, he knows her; he has known 
 her for more than eighteen months." 
 
 " Ah!" said Jeanne, greatly interested. "She 
 is so pretty — Lisette Renaud. I have seen hei- 
 in Mignon and also in the Dragons de Vil- 
 lars.^^ 
 
 "Oh! yes, indeed, she is pretty. And she 
 is good, too." 
 
 "Good?" said Mademoiselle Dubuisson, 
 "but " 
 
 "Ah! yes — not like yourself, certainly — but 
 she has never looked at any one but Monsieur 
 de Bernes, and he never looks at any one but 
 his little Lise; but you should see how he 
 looks at her! It is true that if he were only a 
 superior officer, he would marry her at once, 
 and he would be right." 
 
 "Jeanne," called Bijou, "there is the first 
 breakfast bell." 
 
 And when they had left the room, she said, 
 in a very gentle tone, with only a suspicion of 
 reproach in it: 
 
 "Why do you allow Mother Rafut to tell 
 you stories that you ought not to listen to ?" 
 
 The young girl blushed, and replied witb 
 embarrassment: 
 
 ^^ Mon Dieu I Her story wasn't very shock- 
 ing, and besides, even admitting that it were,
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 165 
 
 how could I have prevented her from telling 
 it?" 
 
 "Oh! very easily. All you had to do was 
 not to answer or listen, and you would have 
 seen then that she would have stopped talk- 
 ing." 
 
 "Yes, you are right." 
 
 And throwing her arms around Bijou's 
 neck Jeanne kissed her, saying: 
 
 "You are always right. As to myself, you 
 see, that with my serious air I am far more 
 frivolous than you; and weaker, too. I don't 
 know how to resist what amuses me." 
 
 "And that amused you ?" 
 
 " Very much." 
 
 " Grand Dieu! What was there amusing 
 about it ?" 
 
 ^'■Dame! I don't exactly know. To begin 
 with, I am curious; and also observing; then 
 this story thoroughly accounted for some 
 things that I had previously remarked." 
 
 "But when?" 
 
 ' ' Why, for the last four or five months — 
 since I have been going out a little." 
 
 " What have you remarked ?" 
 
 "I have observed that Monsieur de Bernes 
 never paid attention to any woman; that he 
 never even looked at one; that he was barely 
 polite, even to the prettiest women; and the 
 proof of it is, that he has never even tried to 
 flirt with you."
 
 166 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Oh! indeed no! Never!" replied Bijou 
 laughingly, "but because he has never tried, 
 to flirt with mo doesn't prove tliat he may 
 not have done so with others." 
 
 "No. Mother Rafnt must be right. And 
 after all this story doesn't surprise me. You 
 have no idea how chariniug Lise Renaud is; 
 somewhat in your style, only she is taller 
 than you, and not =o blond— but her eyes are 
 wonderful. And she has such a pretty supple 
 figure, almost as supple as your own. In fact 
 I can understand that whoever chanced to fall 
 in love with her would love her with all his 
 heart; and then she is talented, and has a 
 lovely voice, a contralto. I am sure you 
 would like her." 
 
 "I don't think so." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "I don't care for women who act in plays, 
 or at least for those who do it well. It is a 
 sort of indication of duplicity." 
 
 " OhI I don't think so. It is rather a proof 
 of a power of adaptation, of great sensitiveness, 
 but not of duplicity." 
 
 "Well, I don't look at it from the same 
 point of view. Which probably doesn't pre- 
 vent mademoiselle — What is her name ?" 
 
 * ' Lise Renaud. " 
 
 "Mademoiselle Lise Renaud from being a 
 charming person, doubtless, in the eyes of 
 Monsieur de Barnes."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. ltJ7 ■ 
 
 "You don't like Monsieur de Bernfes very 
 much, do you ?" 
 
 " Why should you think so? He is quite 
 indifferent to me, and he appears to me a 
 little " 
 
 "Oh! no. I see a good deal of him at 
 Pont-sur-Loire. He is very intelligent, aw- 
 fully nice, and then he is very good looking, 
 too. Don't you think so ?" 
 
 " Didn't I tell you that I had never paid any 
 particular attention to Monsieur de Bernes' ap- 
 pearance? But," added Bijou laughingly, 
 "the next time that I see him I shall look at 
 him with all my eyes. And I shall endeavor 
 to discover his numerous perfections, in order 
 to please Monsieur de Clagny." 
 
 " You think a good deal of him, don't you ?" 
 
 "Of him! Oh! yes, indeed!" 
 
 " I saw that at once. From the moment that 
 I arrived you have done nothing but talk 
 about him, and yesterday when he came you 
 were enchanted." 
 
 "Oh! yes, he is so kind, so lovely to me." 
 
 " But every one is lovely to you. Every one 
 adores you." 
 
 "Everybody is altogether too good and kind 
 to me — I know that very well — but Monsieur 
 de Clagny is even more so than tlie others. I 
 have only known him for three days, and now 
 I cannot get on without him. Whenever I see
 
 168 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. • 
 
 him I am gay and happy, and I should 
 like to have him here all the time. Yes, I 
 should like to have a father or an urcle like 
 him. Wouldn't you ?" 
 
 "Oh! as far as I am concerned, it would 
 be impossible for me to think of any one but 
 papa as a father. I adore him just as he is. 
 Possibly papa may appear very ordinary to 
 other people, but he is papa. Still I think 
 Monsieur de Clagny is v ' e, and he must 
 have been charming.'" 
 
 "Well, for my pat.., i think that he is so 
 still." 
 
 The two girls had now reached the vestibule. 
 Jeanne walked up to the door, exclaiming: 
 
 " How warm it is!" 
 
 Then shading her eyes with her hand, she 
 continued: 
 
 "Look! Here is a coach. Who can be 
 coming on a coach ?" 
 
 " Monsieur de Clagny, naturally," cried 
 Bijou joyously, rushing outside; "he told 
 grandmother that if he could get off he should 
 come and ask her to let him breakfast with 
 us." 
 
 "And he has succeeded," said Monsieur de 
 Eueille sarcastically, as he was leaving the 
 hall. " We have seen a good deal of Monsieur 
 de Clagny for the last three days. " And he 
 added still more bitterly: " It is quite evident 
 that he is pleased with our society."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 169 
 
 The spectacle of the horses drawn up in front 
 of the door, however, disarmed him, and he 
 exclaimed in admiration: 
 
 ^^ Matm! what superb horses! so beautifully 
 handled, too. One can't deny that the old 
 fellow is a good whip." 
 
 After breakfast Pierrot declared that he had 
 a pain in his foot, and that the pain extended to 
 the tips of hi? «. He didn't understand 
 
 what it could be. 
 
 "I understand penectly," said Jean de 
 Blaye; " it's because his shoes are too short." 
 
 "Too short?" said Monsieur de Jonzac; 
 "but that's impossible." After a moment's 
 reflection he added in affright: " Unless his 
 feet should have grown still more." 
 
 Jean began to laugh. 
 
 " That's what they probably have done. In 
 any case, his fingers are turned back at the 
 end, and climbing over each other, I am sure. 
 You have only to look at his feet to prove it. 
 They are all lumps. They look exactly like 
 bags of nuts." 
 
 "I am going to make him buy some shoes 
 to-day," replied Monsieur de Jonzac. 
 
 "I think, uncle, that it would be better to 
 send him to Pont-sur-Loire to be measured. 
 There ought to be some sort of a shoemaker 
 there. "
 
 170 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Monsieur VAbh6. is just going there to take 
 a letter to the bishop's and to get the answer," 
 said Madame do Bracieux; "so he could very 
 well take Pierrot witli him." 
 
 "Then," said Bijou, "we could take the 
 omnibus, and Jeanne and I could go too; we've 
 got a lot of things to do." 
 
 " What are they?" asked the marchioness. 
 
 " "Why, in the first jilace, we must get some 
 crepe — some crepe for Jeanne; and then some 
 paints and pencils that I need — in fact, a quan- 
 tity of things." 
 
 " Would j^ou like me to take you all?" pro- 
 posed Monsieur de Clagny. " I have an ap- 
 pointment at three o'clock at Pont-sur-Loire, 
 at a lawyer's. You can do your shopping and 
 I will bring you back. It will be all on the 
 way to La Noriniere." 
 
 "Oh, what fun!" said Bijou, enraptured; 
 " and I, who have never been on a coach ! 
 You'll let us go, won't you, grandmother ?" 
 
 But Madame de Bracieux seemed to hesi- 
 tate, and said: 
 
 " You'll be making yourself very conspicu- 
 ous at Pont-sur-Loire, my dear Bijou, and for 
 young girls indeed I fear that it wouldn't be 
 altogether proper." 
 
 "Oh, grandmother!" cried Bijou, "not 
 proper with Monsieur de Clagny ?" 
 
 " Yes, with me," emphasized the count, his
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 171 
 
 face growing suddenly grave; " there is no 
 danger; I am not compromising." 
 
 "Evidently not," replied Madame de Bra- 
 cieux with sincei'ity, "but the people at Pont- 
 sur-Loire are so ill-natured." 
 
 "Oh, grandmother," implored Bijou, "do 
 not deprive us of a pleasure in which you see 
 no harm, simply on account of some people at 
 Pont-sur-Loire whom you care so little about. " 
 
 " You are right. Go, then, my children, 
 since it amuses you; and may there not be 
 any harm, as you say, in amusing yourselves 
 thus." 
 
 "Is there a little bit of a place for me?" 
 asked Rueille. 
 
 " There is room for you as well as for some 
 others," replied Monsieur de Clagny. "We 
 are only six — so far." 
 
 " What do you say about going, to look after 
 the little ones ?" said the marchioness, turning 
 to Bertrade. 
 
 Glancing toward her husband, who lowered 
 his eyee and appeared to be attentively con- 
 templating the floor, Madame de Rueille re- 
 plied : 
 
 " Paul can very well look after them." 
 
 Bijou now advanced and said: 
 
 " I would like you not to leave before three 
 o'clock, because here comes Monsieur Sylvestre, 
 who is going to give me my lesson in accom- 
 paniments. He is walking up the avenue."
 
 17^ BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 The marchioness looked out of the window 
 and exclaimed:] 
 
 "The unfortunate man! lie has come on 
 foot in this dreadful heat." 
 
 "He always comes on foot, grandmother." 
 
 " Five kilometers — that's not such an enor- 
 mous distance," said Henry de Bracieux. 
 
 " Not to you, when you are in a carriage, of 
 course not," said Bijou, turning toward him. 
 
 '•'•Ball! When one is out shooting, one 
 ,walks a good deal more than that." 
 
 "But, then, when one is shooting, one is 
 amused — that's quite different. I can tell you 
 that if I only dared, I should always have Mon- 
 sieur Sylvestre sent back in a carriage." 
 
 "If you would like to, we will take him 
 back to-day," said Monsieur de Clagny. 
 
 "Indeed, I should like it. It is very kind 
 of you to offer to do it, because you know he 
 isn't particularly beautiful — my professor of 
 accompaniments — and he won't be an orna- 
 ment to your coach." 
 
 " Do you think I mind that ? I am not a 
 snob. Bijou — not in the least a snob." 
 
 "But," said Jean de Blaye, "this youth 
 isn't so bad looking; he has exquisite eyes — 
 wonderfully clear, with a sweet expression." 
 
 "I haven't remarked them," replied Bijou, 
 laughing; " but even so, eyes are not particu- 
 larly noticeable on the top of a coach; and he
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 173 
 
 dresses so strangely; his clothes are too tight 
 and cling to him, and his hair is long and 
 clinging too; he looks something like a drowned 
 man." 
 
 " Monsieur Sylvestre is here," announced a 
 servant. 
 
 " Have they told Josephine V asked Madame 
 de Bracieux. 
 
 " Yes, Madame la Marquise, Josephine is in 
 mademoiselle's room." 
 Jeanne Dubuisson arose, but Bijou said: 
 "No, don't come. When I know that any 
 one is there — any one but Josephine — I can't 
 do good work." As she was going out she 
 added: "At three o'clock I shall come back 
 with my hat — and with Monsieur Sylvestre. " 
 
 When Bijou entered her room, Josephine, 
 the old governess, who had brought up two 
 generations of Bracieux, was working near the 
 window, while in the adjoining sitting-room 
 the musician was setting up the desk and tak- 
 ing the violin out of the box. 
 
 At the sight of the young girl his very blue 
 eyes became still lighter, looking extremely 
 faint in hue in contrast with his flushed face. 
 He was a youth of twenty-eight, very thin, 
 awkward, and very poorly dressed, but whose 
 face was interesting, owing to its indescribably 
 sad and sympathetic expression. 
 
 "How warm you are, Monsieur Sylvestre 1"
 
 174 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 said Bijou, giving him her hand. "And they 
 haven't brought you anything to drink yet !" 
 Then, going to the door of her room, she culled 
 out: "Josephine, will you tell them to 
 bring — ? What will you take. Monsieur Syl- 
 vestre, some beer, lemonade, wine, or what ? 
 I can never remember." 
 
 "Some lemonade, if you please. But you 
 are too kind, mademoiselle, to bother youi'self 
 about me in this way." 
 
 But Denyse interrupted him with: 
 
 " I forgot to get the music that you told me 
 about from Pont-sur-Loire. Now you're going 
 to scold me." 
 
 "Oh, mademoiselle!" he replied, in timid 
 tones, " scold you ? I?" 
 
 " Yes, you. If you don't scold me you are 
 wrong. Come, what shall we play ? Ah, I 
 had forgotten ! I am going to ask you first to 
 sit down at the piano and to play my accom- 
 paniment to a stupid romance that I am learn- 
 ing." 
 
 "What romance?" 
 
 '■'■ Ay Chiqidta ! It's absui'd, isn't it ? But 
 we have an old friend who adores it, and who 
 has asked me to sing it for him. " 
 
 "Ifon Dieu ! Ay Chiqidta. It isn't ac- 
 tually absurd; it has become somewhat 
 hackneyed, that is all." 
 
 " Ah!" he added, while looking at the music,
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 175 
 
 ' ' you sing it in a high key. I should have 
 said " 
 
 "Yes, I sing it in an upper key. That 
 makes it still more ugly, Dieu ! How I 
 should like to have a deep voice. Deep voices 
 are so beautiful — only there aren't any." 
 
 " They are rare, still there are some." 
 
 Bijou shook her head. 
 
 " I have never heard any." 
 
 "Well, still there is one that you could 
 hear." 
 
 "But where?' 
 
 "At the Pont-sur-Loire theater. Yes, 
 Mademoiselle Lise Renaud, a young singer 
 with a great deal of talent, and very pretty 
 too — which does no harm." 
 
 " Has she a fine voice ?" 
 
 "A very fine voice, indeed. I am in the 
 habit of hearing her about three times a week, 
 without counting rehearsals with the orchestra. 
 Well, I never weary of it. " 
 
 " Ah ! do you know if she would sing at a 
 soiree ?" 
 
 "Why, certainly. She sings sometimes at 
 Pont-sur-Loire." 
 
 " I shall ask grandmother to have her here. 
 Where does she live ?" 
 
 "Eue Rabelais. I don't remember the 
 number, but every one knows it." 
 
 After a pause the musician asked:
 
 176 BIJOU'S COUllTSUIP. 
 
 ""Why shouldn't you come and hear her at 
 the theater ? That would be much more in- 
 teresting for you." 
 
 " Grandmother would never let me go." 
 
 " I know very well that people in society at 
 Pont-sur-Loire do not go to the theater — it 
 isn't considered good form — still under certain 
 circumstances, for instance, in a fortnight a 
 representation will be given for the benefit of 
 the wounded — organized by the Barnes de 
 France — every one will go." 
 
 " And will the plays be unobjectionable ?" 
 
 "Oh! yes; some opera comique or other; 
 some solos also; and I am sure that Lise 
 Kenaud will be quite often on the programme, 
 for she represents the best that the theater 
 affords." 
 
 " You are not drinking, Monsieur Sylvestre," 
 said Bijou. 
 
 She went up to the tray that had meanwhile 
 been brought in, and proceeded to wait upon 
 the young man herself, gracefully handing 
 him a glass bedewed with pearly drops, caused 
 by the contact of the icy liquid within, say- 
 ing: 
 
 "Perhaps you are still too warm to drink 
 it. This lemonade is so very cold." 
 
 He took the glass with a hand that trembled 
 a little, and stood, with arm outstretched and 
 half-open mouth, gazing at Bijou in passionate 
 admiration, while she remarked smilingly;
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 177 
 
 "So, Monsieur Sylvestre, you've gone off 
 again." 
 
 The color deepened in the young man's rosy 
 cheeks; he at once swallowed the contents of 
 the glass and hurrying to the piano exclaimed: 
 
 " Lot us begin, mademoiselle — let us begin." 
 
 And he ran over the very brief air of the 
 romance, hesitating here and there, as if his 
 fingers refused to act. It was so apparent 
 that Denyse asked: 
 
 " What is the matter with you ? Are you 
 not feeling well to-day ?" 
 
 '■'■Moil Bleu, mademoiselle, 1 — it is so hot." 
 
 As she was rather near-sighted, and never 
 used a lorgnette, she leaned over him to read 
 the notes, and at times her figure lightly 
 touched the musician's hair; this increased 
 his agitation and caused his clammy fingers to 
 slide off the keys, while Bijou repeated in 
 surprise: 
 
 " Positively, you are not well." 
 
 "1 beg your pardon, mademoiselle, I — I — 
 don't know what is the matter with me." 
 
 " Nor do I," said she laughingly. 
 
 And as he was leaving the piano she made 
 him sit down again, saying: 
 
 "No! if you will be so kind, I should like to 
 try two or three other old songs." 
 
 And she began again, leaning over so as 
 to see better, while the unfortunate youth 
 followed her to the best of his ability.
 
 178 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " When the hour was up, Bijou went in her 
 room to get her hat, and came back to put it 
 on before the glass in the little salon. And 
 while Monsieur Sylvestre, instead of putting 
 his violin back in the case, stood watching her 
 rnising her arms, and curving her rounded 
 waist in graceful motion3, she said to him: 
 
 " You must hurry — we are going to take 
 you with us to Pont-snr-Loire, or rather Mon- 
 sieur de Clagny is going to take you on his 
 coach." 
 
 Seeing that he did not understand, she con- 
 tinued: 
 
 "On a large carriage that holds a great 
 many people." 
 
 "And are you going, too?" he asked, in a 
 dazed way. 
 
 " Yes, Monsieur Sylvestre, I am going too." 
 
 He had taken out of his box a bouquet of 
 myosotis and hedge-roses, now faded and 
 drooping, and timidly presented it to Bijou. 
 
 "On my way here, mademoiselle, I — I — 
 « took the liberty of gathering these flowers 
 f for you." 
 
 She took them, and after having deeply in- 
 haled their perfume, she placed them in her 
 belt, saying: 
 
 " I thank you for having thought of me." 
 
 He went downstairs, following Bijou step 
 by step, happy, and forgetful of his misery.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP, I79 
 
 And when he appeared trotting behind her, 
 his violin case in his hand, Monsieur de 
 Claguy said to Jean de Blaye: 
 
 " It is quite true that the musician has a 
 good head." 
 
 The coach was just at the door when the 
 marchioness called out: 
 
 " Bijou, I have a message to give you. Will 
 you go to Pelleriu, the publisher, and ask him 
 for — But, no, send Pierrot to me instead." 
 
 "Pierrot," said Denyse, coming back into 
 the vestibule, "grandmother is asking for you." 
 
 " I bet it's to do some shopping," said the 
 boy, making a face, ' ' and shopping's not my 
 forte." 
 
 And while Bijou and the others were climb- 
 ing up on the coach, he went off to find 
 Madame de Bracieux. 
 . "Were you calling me, aunt ?" 
 
 "Yes, Will you go to Pellerin's? Do you 
 know who Pellerin is ?" 
 
 " The publisher?" 
 
 " Yes. Will you ask him to give you, for me, 
 one of Dumas' novels, that which is called " Le 
 Btitard de Mauleon ?'' Why do you look at me 
 like that ?" 
 
 "Because I have never seen you read any 
 novels, and " 
 
 " You won't see me read this ouo either. It 
 is for the cure, to whom I have promised it,
 
 180 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 He adores Dumas, and he hasn't read " Le 
 Batard de Mauleon." Will you be sure to re- 
 member the title ?" 
 
 "Yes, aunt." 
 
 "Are you quite sure? Don't you want me 
 to write it down for you ?" 
 
 "It isn't worth while." 
 
 " You may forget it." 
 
 "No danger." 
 
 He rushed, head foremost, on to the coach, 
 crushed several feet, nearly demolished 
 Monsieur Sylvestre's violin case, and excused 
 himself, saying: 
 
 "Ah! Mon Dieu! I've smashed the little 
 coffin."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 181 
 
 XI. 
 
 Always up the first, Bijou went downstairs 
 about seven o'clock, and as mistress of the 
 mansion made a tour of inspection through 
 the butler's pantry and the dairy. 
 
 With the exception of Pierrot, whom she 
 sometimes encountered in the corridors, his 
 eyes swollen with sleep, she never met any 
 one. She was then greatly astonished on this 
 morning to run against Monsieur de Eueille, 
 who was leaving the library, with a book in 
 his hand. Of all the inmates of Bracieux, he 
 was the laziest; so she laughingly inquired: 
 
 "What! have you had enough sleep al- 
 ready 1" 
 
 " I haven't had any as yet." 
 
 " Oh ! nonsense." 
 
 "Yes, it is perfectly true; and as I had 
 read all the old books upstairs, I came down 
 to get another, to help me through the night." 
 
 Bijou pointed to the sun which was stream- 
 ing through the open window. 
 
 " The night ?" she exclaimed. 
 
 "Oh, as far as I am concerned, except in 
 case of going shooting or of setting out on a
 
 182 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 journey, myniglit lasts up to ten o'clock in tlio 
 morning, at the very least." 
 
 " And are you going baek to bed ?" 
 
 " This very moment." 
 
 "But that's idiotie." 
 
 " On the contrary, it's most sensible. Still 
 more so when one is not in a good humor, for 
 the best thing to do under such circumstances 
 is to bury oneself under the bedclothes." 
 
 "Aren't you in a good humor ?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "And why not?" 
 
 Paul de Rueille hesitated for a moment, and 
 then replied: 
 
 " T really don't know." 
 
 "To be sure, "said Bijou, laughing, "you 
 weren't particularly amiable yesterday, during 
 our drive to Pont-sur-Loirc." 
 
 " That was all your fault." 
 
 "My fault! mine?" 
 
 " Yes, yours." 
 
 " But what do you mean?" 
 
 " "Well, I'll tell you if you wish to hear." 
 
 "I do wish to hear, but not now, because 
 they are expecting me at the dairy." 
 
 " "Who is expecting you ?" he inquired, with 
 an anxious air: 
 
 "The milk-woman." 
 
 " Go at once then if that is the case. I 
 wouldn't think of making the milk-woman 
 wait on my account."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 183 
 
 " You ought to come and see the cheeses," 
 suggested Deuyse. 
 
 " That would be very exciting. No ! really, 
 but aren't you afraid that I might find it too 
 amusing ? tell me, little Bijou." 
 
 ' ' You would find it quite as amusing as 
 lying in bed re-reading some musty old book 
 that you must know by heart, I'm quite sure. 
 There is nothing in the library but classics, or 
 old fossils of tomes. Since I came here there 
 have been no new books, either from the Rue 
 de rUniversifs, nor from Paris; grandmother 
 is so afraid that I may peep inside of one, and 
 she is quite wrong in entertaining such fears, 
 for I would never dream of opening a book 
 that I had been forbidden to read — never." 
 
 "Grandmother is only afraid that you would 
 do what any other young girl would be likely 
 to do. You are so surprising an exception, 
 Bijou." 
 
 "Yes, I am an exception, an angel, any- 
 thing you please; but either come with me, or 
 let me go, will you ? I don't like to keep peo- 
 ple waiting. " 
 
 Monsieur de Rueille laid his book down on 
 a console and said: 
 
 '■'■ Mon Dieu! I'd like to go with you very 
 much." 
 
 Then he proceeded to follow her, without 
 saying anything, while Bijou walked with a
 
 184 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 short, quick, springing step in front of him. 
 She was so charming going about among the 
 largo pails full of milk, with her straw hat, 
 covered with lace, perched on one side of her 
 blond head, and wuth her little pink batiste 
 wrapper caught up very high with a largo 
 silver pin. 
 
 After she had examined, ordered, and dis- 
 posed of everything, without paying any more 
 attention to her cousin than if he had never 
 existed, then only did she turn toward him, 
 and smilingly observe: 
 
 "And now, if you wish, we will go and 
 take a walk. I am at your disposal." And 
 turning into one of the paths that led to the 
 avenues, she added: "I am listening." 
 
 " You are listening ? What do you wish me 
 to tell you ?" 
 
 "I thought you wished to tell me why you 
 were in such a bad humor yesterday; you were 
 saying that it was all my fault." 
 
 " Because," replied he, with embarrassment, 
 " you were — in fact, your behavior, your way 
 of acting, was not at all what it usually is, 
 nor what it ought to be!" 
 
 " Ah! what did I do then ?" 
 
 "Why, in the first place, you insisted, so 
 strangely, upon Bernes getting up on the 
 coach with us, when we met him. Why did 
 you make such a point of it ?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 185 
 
 " Ttame! when one meets a man on foot, 
 a mile or so away from the place where one is 
 going oneself, it seems quite natural to me to 
 offer to take him there. In fact, it seems to me 
 that it would be odd to do otherwise." 
 
 " Agreed ; but then it was Monsieur de 
 Clagny's place to offer him a seat on his coach." 
 
 "He didn't think of it." 
 
 " Or rather he didn't care to! You forced 
 him to do so." 
 
 "Come now! he adores Monsieur de Bernes; 
 he spent half an hour the other day in singing 
 his praises to me in every key." 
 
 "Ah! that is probably what made you so 
 amiable to him." 
 
 " "Was I so amiable ?" 
 
 "Certainly! ordinarily you don't pay the 
 slightest attention to little Bernes, whereas 
 yesterday you had only eyes for him." 
 
 " I wasn't aware of it." 
 
 " Indeed! Then you were the only one who 
 was not conscious of it — so much so that I 
 asked myself if you weren't doing it on pur- 
 pose to torment me." 
 
 Bijou raised her beautiful luminous eyes to 
 Monsieur de Rueille's face and regarding him 
 earnestly exclaimed: 
 
 "To torment you? and pray how could I 
 torment you by being amiable to Monsieur 
 de Bernes ?"
 
 186 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 r 
 " IIow ?" murmured Monsieur do Pwueille, 
 
 greatly embarmssod. " Why I have just told 
 you — I am not — we are not accustomed to see- 
 ing you make such efforts — particularly where 
 a young man is concerned. Yes, it is quite 
 true, I was amazed, and I haven't got over it 
 yet." 
 
 " "Well, all I can say is, I am sorry that I 
 should have annoyed you." said she sweetly. 
 "Yes, I assure you, you know, I have never 
 noticed Monsieur de Bernfis particularly, and I 
 wished to see if all the fine things that Monsieur 
 de Clagny had said to me about him were true; 
 so then I gave him my attention. Will you for- 
 give me V 
 
 Without answering Monsieur de Eueillo re- 
 sumed: 
 
 " Your manner, where Clagny is concerned, 
 is also objectionable. He is old, of course, but 
 still he isn't so decrepit as to authorize such 
 behavior." 
 
 " What do you mean by ' sucli behavior ' ?" 
 
 " Sometimes you seem to be lost in admira- 
 tion before him, and sometimes you coax him 
 iu an absurd way, as you did yesterday." 
 
 "Yesterday? did I coax Monsieur de Clagny ? 
 did I ?" 
 
 "You did!" 
 
 " But what was it about ?" 
 
 " When you were trying your best to have
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 187 
 
 him drive the coach through Rue Rabelais — and 
 heaven knows why, I'm sure; it's the dirticit 
 street there is, without taking into considera- 
 tion that you might have broken all our necks 
 — yes, indeed ! It was extremely dangerous, 
 this idea of yours; even little Bernes, who is 
 one of the most imprudent people I know of, 
 tried to dissuade you from going through it." 
 
 Between Bijou's lashes stole the strange 
 little light that sometimes illumined her eyes, 
 and smilingly she said: 
 
 " It's true ; Monsieur de Bernes was furious 
 because he could not prevent us fi'om going 
 through Rue Rabelais, and one would have said 
 that he was afraid of something." 
 
 " He was afraid of being smashed to pieces, 
 parbleu ! — like myself — like the abbe — like 
 Pierrot, even — and I can't understand how 
 that old fool of a father Clagny yielded to 
 your caprice — for he was responsible for little 
 Dubuisson, for Pierrot, and for you, to say 
 nothing about the rest of us. " 
 
 " Have you finished scolding me ?" 
 
 " I'm not scolding you." 
 
 "Ah! j)ar exemple ! let us make up, will 
 you ?" 
 
 Then, standing on her toes, and putting up 
 her fresh little mouth, she exclaimed: 
 
 " Kiss me !" 
 
 He drew back quickly.
 
 188 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Oh!" said Bijou, in sorrowful surprise. 
 " Oti, then you don't wish to ?" 
 
 Ill at ease, and at a loss for words, he 
 replied : 
 
 "I don't wish to— I don't wish to — not here; 
 it would be absurd. I can't understand why 
 you don't see how absurd it would be." 
 
 Shaking her fluffy head, so that the little 
 curls flew back from her forehead, she an- 
 swered very gently: 
 
 ' ' No, I don't think it would be in the least 
 absurd." 
 
 Then, instead of continuing her walk, she 
 turned back and went in without saying any- 
 thing more. 
 
 On reaching his room Monsieur de Rueille 
 found his wife awaiting him there, reading a 
 letter that she handed to him. 
 
 " Here is a letter that I have just received 
 from Dr. Brice," she observed; " I thought 
 that Marcel had not been very well for some 
 time past." 
 
 "Not very well, Marcel! that child who 
 eats and drinks more than I do, who sleeps 
 like a top, and grows like a mushroom. Ah! 
 that's a pretty good joke! and what disease 
 has the excellent Brice discovered ? " 
 
 "None at all." 
 
 " That's a blessing!" 
 
 ♦* But he has prescribed sea air."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 1^9 
 
 " Sea air! for this little chap who is so 
 overflowing with health as to be almost un- 
 bearable ?" 
 
 " See what he says." 
 
 " Well, let us see what he says," murmured 
 Monsieur de Rueille. And with an air of res- 
 ignation he began to read the lengthy letter in 
 which the doctor prescribed sea air for the little 
 nervous troubles that the child was experi- 
 encing. 
 
 Then he repeated sarcastically: 
 
 " So Marcel has nervous troubles, and for 
 these troubles, which no one but yourself per- 
 ceives, we are to leave Bracieux, where the 
 child is expanding in bracing air — his native 
 air in fact — and we are to go and settle down 
 on some stupid beach. Ah, no! sometimes 
 you have the most uufortunate ideas." 
 
 Still irritated by his conversation with Bijou, 
 and disturbed at the idea of not seeing her 
 any more, he spoke ^in a harsh, dry tone, and 
 tried to laugh, but his laugh had a false 
 ring. 
 
 Bertrade regarded him attentively. 
 
 "I didn't wish," said she gently, "to tell 
 you the truth all at once. I hoped that you 
 would guess it. No ? — haven't you any idea 
 of it ?" 
 
 "No, not the slightest," he replied, vaguely 
 anxious.
 
 190 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Well, you were right just now. Not only 
 Marcel, but his brothers as well, are better off 
 at Bracieux than elsewhere, for he is not ill." 
 
 As Monsieur de Rueille made a gesture of 
 surprise, she continued gently: 
 
 "It is his father who is ill, who requires 
 change of air, and whom it will benefit." 
 
 " Indeed! I don't know what you mean," he 
 murmured. 
 
 " I mean to say," she replied with precision, 
 " that you must leave Bracieux for some time. 
 Do you wish me to tell you why ?" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "You are wrong! You know that I have 
 never concerned myself about what you may 
 or may not have done. " 
 
 " I know that you have always been a kind 
 and indulgent wife," said he, with conviction; 
 "and I am very grateful." 
 
 " There is no occasion for it. I deserve no* 
 particular thanks, and I assure you that I am 
 speaking without bitterness, or rancor, and 
 that I should never have said anything about 
 it if I did not now consider you very impru- 
 dent. I know vei'y well that you are an honor- 
 able man, and that Bijou is in no danger, but 
 I also know how captivating she is, and I can 
 see that, after poor little Giraud, you are the 
 one who is most seriously affected by her 
 charms."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 101 
 
 " Well, it is true I am affected — but, as 
 you yourself say, there is no danger, and 
 whether I go or stay will make no difference." 
 
 "Yes, by staying you will simply render 
 yourself ridiculous, and probably unhappy. I 
 speak to you as a friend; believe me, it would 
 be better for us to go away." 
 
 " But when we come back, in two months — 
 for we must come back in two months at the 
 latest — things will be in exactly the same con- 
 dition." 
 
 " No, it will be quite different," she replied 
 carelessly; "in two mouths she will be married, 
 or very nearly. " 
 
 "Married!" said Monsieur de Rueille, 
 amazed. "Married! is Jean going to marry 
 her ?" 
 
 "Why, no; Jean isn't going to marry her; 
 he is another person who would do well to 
 leave here." 
 
 " Then, if it isn't Jean I can't see — I don't 
 suppose it can be Henry ?" 
 
 "No. Henry perfectly understands that 
 with his means he cannot marry Bijou." 
 
 " Then who is it ? Who can it be ?" 
 
 "Why no one in particular." 
 
 " You spoke, on the contrary, as if you were 
 asserting a positive fact. You said ' In two 
 months she will be married, or very nearly.' 
 What did you mean by that ? why won't you
 
 192 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 tell me ? have you been forbidden to mention 
 it ? was it told you in confidence ?" 
 
 " No, it is merely a supposition on my part, 
 I assure you, that is all." 
 
 "And you will not tell me what this sup- 
 position is ?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 After a moment's silence she resumed: 
 
 " I showed grandmother the doctor's letter. 
 Our going away makes her feel badly; she 
 adores the children; and she likes Bracieux to 
 be full of people. " 
 
 "And so she was taken in by Marcel's 
 nervous troubles, grandmother? That sur- 
 prises me, she who is so clever ?" 
 
 "Jf she weren't 'taken in,' as you express 
 it, at least she let me think so. A tout a 
 Vheun I am going to dress for breakfast." 
 
 Monsinir de Rueille api>roached his wife 
 and said > nidly: 
 
 " You aio ot angry with me?" 
 
 " I ? And A. ly should I be angry with you 
 for something that you couldn't help ? You 
 are in the same condition as Jean; as Mon- 
 sieur Giraud; as Henry; as the professor of 
 accompaniments; as Pierrot; as well as of all 
 those of whom we chance to be ignorant, 
 without speaking of the abbe, who nowadays 
 always appears in Bijou's company." 
 
 "Ohl"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 193 
 
 "It is perfectly true; only he is unconscious. 
 He feels, without knowing how or why. the 
 charm that all experience who approach Bijou. 
 I am very sure that he, too, will be vexed at 
 our departure without being able to exactly 
 explain the cause of his vexation. Hark! the 
 bell is ringing. I shan't be ready. Go away." 
 
 "Pierrot," demanded the marchioness after 
 breakfast, when they were all assembled in 
 the hall, " why didn't you give me my book 
 yesterday ?" 
 
 Pierrot, who was talking with Bijou, turned 
 around, bewildered: 
 
 "What book, aunt?" 
 
 " Dumas' novel, for the cure." 
 
 "Ah! hon! I had forgotten all about it." 
 
 "Did you forget my message ?" 
 
 "Of course not — only Pellerin didut have 
 it." 
 
 "Oh! reUlly — why he always h£ jvery thing 
 one wants." 
 
 " Ben ! but he didn't have that, and what is 
 more he didn't seem to know anything about 
 the book." 
 
 "What! really?" 
 
 "Why, yes. And he's an obstinate brute. 
 He positively refused to admit that it was by 
 father — Machin — I've forgotten already." 
 
 "Dumas." 
 
 " Dumas — yes, that's it, and he kept On say-
 
 194 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 ing all tlio time: 'T know my Dumas pretty 
 well, and that book was never by him.' Still 
 he promised me to search for it all the same 
 and to send it if he found it." 
 
 "Here," said Monsieur de Rueille, who 
 had interviewed a messenger while they were 
 at breakfast, "here is a letter from your 
 bookseller, grandmother. Of course he wasn't 
 able to find it." 
 
 " Open it, Paul, will you ?" 
 
 He unfolded the letter and read: 
 
 "Madame la Marquise: It is impossible to find 
 the book that monsieur your nephew asked for. 
 Desirous of pleasing you, we have instituted a 
 search in th shops of our principal confreres, 
 and have even telegraphed to Paris; but the an- 
 swer is that ' Le Baton de Monsieur Molard'' is 
 not nor has ever been in any bookstore." 
 
 " ie Baton de Ilonsiettr Molard ?" inquired 
 the marr oness, who didn't understand, 
 "what^ jarth is that ?" 
 
 Then suddenly she exclaimed in amaze- 
 ment: 
 
 "Ah! ' Le Baton de Moyisieur Molard'' i^ 
 "Le Batard de Mauleon" in Pierrot's language. 
 I was right when I wanted to write down the 
 title, but he didn't wish me to." 
 
 Monsieur de Jonzac raised his eyes to the 
 ceiling with a look of despair, and exclaimed, 
 half in jest and half in earnest:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. I95 
 
 "He is incorrigible, that creature." 
 
 Blushing deeply. Pierrot replied, with vexa- 
 tion: 
 
 '" I did my best, and besides I hardly knew 
 what I was about yesterday. We nearly upset 
 when we were going into Pont-sur-Loire." 
 
 "Upset?" demanded Madame de Bracieux, 
 " upset ? — what do you mean by that ?" 
 
 " Because Bijou conceived the absurd idea 
 of driving through Rue Rabelais on the coach, 
 and Monsieur de Clagny humored her by doing 
 it, the old fool." 
 
 "Eh! Za .'" said the marchioness, "please 
 speak more respectfully of my old friend 
 Clagny." 
 
 "He's very light-headed for his age, your 
 old friend. He might have killed us all — 
 without considering the row that we raised in 
 Rue Rabelais. The coach scraped the side- 
 walks; the small boys ran und*^' the horses; 
 and the sound of the horn bro .^tht all the 
 girls to the windows, and made them scream; 
 but that wasn't so bad, for some of them 
 were quite pretty— S^pas Paul ?" 
 
 As Monsieur de Rueille, with preoccupied 
 air, made no reply, he turned toward the 
 abbe. 
 
 " 8''pas, Monsieur I'Abbe ?" 
 
 The Abbe Courteil answered in all sincerity: 
 
 " I don't know. I didn't notice,"
 
 196 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 But Pierrot wouldn't acknowledge himself 
 beaten: 
 
 "J5e;i/ Bijou noticed them then, no mis- 
 take about that, for didn't she stare at them 
 though, with all her eyes." 
 
 " I?" said Bijou, her delicate face suddenly 
 flushing, " I ? — why, you are dreaming. I saw 
 nothing. I was too much afraid." 
 
 "Afraid of what?" asked the marchioness. 
 
 ** Why, of upsetting, grandmother. Pierrot 
 was right. We nearly upset." 
 
 " He was also right when he said that your 
 idea of driving through that miserable little 
 street, in a coach and four, was an absurd 
 one. How did you ever come to have such 
 an idea ?" 
 
 Bijou regarded Jeanne Dubuisson, who, 
 with flushed face also, and eyes fixed on the 
 ground, was listening to the discussion with- 
 out taking any part in it, and then replied: 
 
 '^'^ Hon Dieu ! I really don't remember. I 
 think that Monsieur de Clagny was telling us 
 that he drove his horses without a curb; that 
 he could turn them on a plate; then as the 
 Rue Rabelais was rather narrow and winding 
 I said: ' I don't believe that you can drive 
 through Rue Rabelais.' " 
 
 " That wasn't what you said at all," protested 
 Pierrot. "This is what you said: 'Let us drive 
 through Rue Rabelais, I should like so much to
 
 BIJOU'S COUKTSHIP. 19? 
 
 see it,' and as he hesitated— for I must give 
 him that much credit — you insisted with all 
 your might." 
 
 " But," said Monsieur de Jonzac, observing 
 that Bijou appeared irritated, "what object do 
 you suppose your cousjn could have had in 
 driving there, rather than elsewhere?" 
 
 "I. can't imagine," replied Pierrot, per- 
 plexed. Then, as a new idea suddenly seized 
 him, he exclaimed: 
 
 " Well, there was one person there whom it 
 didn't seem to please, and that was Monsieur 
 de Bernfts. I'm sure I don't know why, but 
 he looked perfectly tuvions—iSeig7ieiir/ how he 
 did look!" 
 
 Henry de Bracieux burst out laughing and 
 said: 
 
 " I know very well why he was furious,— 
 poor Bernfes! he was afraid of being scolded." 
 
 "Scolded?" asked Bijou ingenuously, her 
 liquid eyes opening wide in surprise, while 
 little Miss Dubuisson's pretty face, usually so 
 placid, again grew red. " Scolded, but why?" 
 
 And as the silence deepened, and grew em- 
 barrassing, she then suggested: 
 
 "Jeanne, would you like to take a walk ?" 
 
 " I am going with you," declared Pierrot. 
 
 But Bijou pushed him away, saying: 
 
 "No, we would rather be by ourselves. 
 You would only bother us."
 
 198 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 And going down the front steps, she said to 
 Jeanne, who was following, somewhat discom- 
 fited: 
 
 "I know perfectly why you are so discon- 
 certed. It is on account of your rememVjering 
 that story about an actress, whose name I 
 can't recall, and whom Monsieur de Bernes 
 knows. As to me, I had forgotten all about it, 
 so it didn't disturb me. Don't you see that I 
 was right when I told you that you did wrong 
 in listening to those stories of Mother Rafut ?" 
 
 " As I said before," replied Jeanne pensive- 
 ly, "you are always right." 
 
 After Bijou's departure the men left the 
 drawing-room by degrees; and as soon as she 
 was alone with Madame de Kueille the mar- 
 chioness exclaimed: 
 
 "Tell me, Bertrade, why did Paul look 
 so strangely at breakfast ?" 
 
 Not caring to either assent or prevaricate, 
 the young woman replied : 
 
 " Did you think so ?" 
 
 "Yes, and you also, and while I was looking 
 at you both an idea occurred to me." 
 
 "Well, what was it?" 
 
 " That my little Marcel is no more ill than 
 I am, and that the letter you showed me this 
 morning is only a pretext to take your hus- 
 band away from here. Isn't it so ?" 
 
 Too straightforward to deny, she answered:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 199 
 
 "It is true." 
 
 "Then you are jealous, and jealous of 
 Bijou." 
 
 "I'm not jealous. Oh! no, not at all; but 
 anxious." 
 
 " About Bijou ?" 
 
 She shook her beautiful serious head, and 
 replied : 
 
 "No, about Paul." 
 
 "Eeally!" 
 
 "Yes, I don't fancy the idea of his making 
 himself utterly ridiculous." 
 
 "And did you really think, my poorBer- 
 trade, that I hadn't observed for some time past 
 that your husband was smitten with Bijou, 
 like all the others ? for they all of them are. 
 And I have also remarked of late that even 
 your abbe had lost some of his fine indiffer- 
 ence. Don't you think so ?" 
 
 " It is quite possible." 
 
 "iV'es^ ce pas' I am sure that he lives 
 a little less beatifically in the peace of the 
 Lord." 
 
 " And the fact doesn't displease you, grand- 
 mother, now confess." 
 
 " Ah! you take a more serious view of things 
 than I. In any case I consider your remedy 
 of taking Paul away a mistaken one; he acts 
 with perfect propriety; no one suspects the 
 truth except ourselves."
 
 200 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "And all the others." 
 "Do you think so?" 
 " I am sure of it." 
 
 "Even so; that doesn't matter, provided 
 Bijou doesn't suspect anj'thing." 
 
 (( T 11 
 
 " "Why don't you answer ?" 
 
 ' ' Because I am not of your opinion, grand- 
 mother, and you don't like people to disagree 
 with you — particularly where Bijou is con- 
 cerned.'' 
 
 " "What do you mean by that ?" 
 
 " "What I have said, no more and no less." 
 
 " Then, according to you, Bijou has ob- 
 served this." 
 
 " From the first day." 
 
 "Well, even so — she couldn't help it. Be- 
 sides what danger does she run ?" 
 
 "None." 
 
 " Paul is a man of honor." 
 
 " Of course — and even if he were not. Bijou 
 would still be safe for many other reasons." 
 
 ""What are they?" 
 
 ""Well, in the first place, through her in- 
 difference. Paul, I believe, makes about as 
 much impression upon her as a piece of furni- 
 ture." 
 
 " And then ?" 
 
 " And then— but-but that's all." 
 
 " You said ' for many other reasons'; you
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 201 
 
 have only given me one, let me hear the 
 others." 
 
 " Why, no — it was only a figure of speech," 
 replied Madame de Rueille, with some em- 
 barrassment." 
 
 "Come, now! you fib badly, my poor Ber- 
 trade. I am sure that I know what you're 
 thinking of." 
 
 "I'm'^ure you don't." 
 
 " Well, now you will see. You think one of 
 the reasons why Bijou will not pay any atten- 
 tion to Paul is " 
 
 " Because he is married." 
 
 " Yes, naturally; but I am confident that 
 you also think that Bijou is interested in some 
 one else." 
 
 "Ah! You see. You don't answer. Yes, 
 you think as your husband does, who said so 
 to me two days ago; you fancy that Bijou is 
 wild about little Giraud." 
 
 "Oh! Grandmother, what an impossible 
 supposition. In the first place, Bijou will 
 never be wild about any one." 
 
 " Then what do you mean?" 
 
 "Why, that she will marry reasonably, 
 sensibly, just as she does everything." 
 
 "But when will that be?" 
 
 "When will it be? Bame! I don't know 
 exactly. Soon, I think.".
 
 202 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Then you speak without positive knowl- 
 edge. You are talking about an event in the 
 futui-e that is still vague." 
 
 " Ah!" replied Madame de Rueille, with a 
 smile. " The future is always vague, grand- 
 mother."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 20o 
 
 XII. 
 
 During the following week nothing was 
 thought of but the rehearsals of the little 
 review which was to be acted on the day after 
 the races. The La Balues, the Juzencourts, and 
 Madame de Nezel came to Bracieux nearly every 
 day, as well as Monsieur de Clagny, who was 
 wonderfully interested in the rehearsals; he 
 acted as prompter whenever Giraud, who had 
 accepted the position, chanced to be otherwise 
 occupied; and seemed perfectly charmed, pro- 
 vided he could see Bijou act. 
 
 Father Dubuisson and Monsieur Spiegel had 
 been there to dine several times, and Denyse, 
 under the pretense of letting him see more of 
 \\is fia7ice, had persuaded the young professor to 
 take a small part, in which, totell the truth, he 
 was execrable. Did Jeanne preceive this ? 
 
 She had grown visibly sadder for some days 
 past, and her temper, always so even, now 
 seemed variable, while her father, amazed at 
 seeing her constantly with her eyes full of 
 tears, and with no apparent motive, conceived 
 the idea that she was on the verge of some 
 illness.
 
 ^04 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 The Rueilleshad not left Bracieux; Bertrade, 
 who felt that everyone was against her, had 
 resigned herself to the situation, gracefully 
 giving up her determination, and patiently 
 drifting in the current of fashion, whither, 
 despite herself, she had been drawn. 
 
 Little Bernes came in one evening to invite 
 the marchioness and her guests to follow a 
 paper hunt, organized by the regiment. He 
 was to be the fox, they were putting up 
 splendid obstacles, and he assured them that 
 never before had the forest been the scene of 
 so fine a paper hunt as this was bound to be. 
 
 Bijou at once prevailed upon her grand- 
 mother to let her follow on horseback. Mon- 
 sieur de Rueille and Jean de Blaye answering 
 that no harm should befall her. Besides, like 
 everyone who rides well, she was very prudent, 
 never exposing herself needlessly, and know- 
 ing how to avoid accidents. 
 
 Madame de Bracieux had kept Hubert de 
 Bernfes to dinner, and during the evening she 
 remarked to Bertrade, while looking at Denyse, 
 who was talking with him: 
 
 "It's rather singular, but it seems to me 
 that Bijou doesn't treat that little man quite 
 as she used to. Formerly she hardly deigned 
 tr '/ow to him; and now, one would almost say 
 tiiat she was 'gone ' on him, to use your elegant 
 language.'*
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 205 
 
 And the marchioness repeated, as if puz- 
 zled: 
 
 " Yes, her manner toward him has certainly 
 changed." 
 
 "And his manner toward her has also 
 changed," replied Madame de Reuille. 
 
 ' ' N'est ce pas ? When he first used to come 
 to Bracieux I was struck with his coldness 
 toward that love of a child whom all the world 
 adores. He was merely polite to her — that 
 was all." 
 
 ""Well, even now he isn't very far gone, but 
 he has made considerable progress. He is 
 preparing to follow in the footsteps of his pre- 
 decessors." 
 
 Looking at Madame de Rueille, the mar- 
 chioness demanded: 
 
 " When you spoke to me not long ago about 
 Bijou's marriage, did you have any particular 
 idea in your head ?" 
 
 Without answering, Bertrade repeated the 
 question: 
 
 "Any particular idea in my head ?" 
 
 "Yes; did you think, for instance, that 
 Bijou cared for little Bernes ?" 
 
 "I told you that day, grandmother, that I 
 thought that Bijou didn't care, has never 
 cared, and never will care, for anybody." 
 
 " If you had said that to me as you now aay 
 it I should have certainly contradicted you.
 
 *i06 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 It is impossible, in my opinion, to be more 
 completelj'^ mistaken about her than you are. 
 Not care for any person ? Bijou ? — when there 
 is no one in the world who has so much need 
 of caresses and affection." 
 
 " She needs caresses and affection. Yes, 
 that's quite evident; that is to say, she requires 
 some one to lavish caresses and affection upon 
 her, but she has no desire to reciprocate sucb 
 demonstrations. " 
 
 ' ' In other words, her nature is a cold and 
 selfish one," said the marchioness, whose voice 
 suddenly hardened. " Really, Bertrade, you 
 are vexed with Bijou for her charm. You are 
 annoyed with her because no one can resist a 
 charm so infinite; and instead of being angry 
 with Paul, who is the true culprit, you most 
 unfairly blame this little creature." 
 
 "I do not blame Bijou any more than I 
 do Paul, grandmother," replied Madame de 
 Eueille, very gently. "I blame them still 
 less, as I do not believe much in free will. 
 Yes, I understand perfectly that I shock you 
 greatly by such a confession. You think that 
 I am sacrilegious, do you not ? And yet, God 
 knows that these reflections to which I some- 
 times yield do but render me more indulgent.'' 
 
 " What are yon two conspiring about in this 
 little corner ?" demanded Monsieur de Clagny 
 who now approached them.
 
 Moiisien) I'Al'/'i'.
 
 .o;
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 207 
 
 "Nothing," said Madame de Bracieux. 
 " We were ouly looking at Bijou, who appears 
 to be engaged in thawing out your little friend, 
 Bernes." 
 
 The count turned around with anxious air. 
 
 "Thawing out? What do you mean by 
 that ?" 
 
 '■'■Bame! what is always understood. When 
 this young man dined with us eight days ago 
 his manners were simply freezing. Well, I 
 thitik that a thaw is now approaching." 
 
 " Nonsense," cried Monsieur d ; Clagny, his 
 face suddenly clearing. "I had forgotten 
 that he had an attachment or some one^n 
 fact so strong an attachmtot that he even 
 ■wishes to marry the girl, wh. h, as you can 
 well imagine, doesn't particulai-ly please his 
 father." Then he added, in an absent-minded 
 way: " Oh ! as far as he's concerned, I'm quite 
 easy." 
 
 "Easy?" questioned Madame de Bracieux, 
 in astonishment. " But why do you say that ? 
 Do you object to Bijou marrying Monsieur de 
 Bernes, and if so, pray why ?" 
 
 " Because she is so young," he murmured, 
 with some embarrassment. 
 
 "How so young? Why, she is beyond the 
 ago when one usually marries. Bijou will be 
 twenty-two in the month of November." 
 
 "Then Hubert is too young for her; he's 
 only a boy."
 
 208 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "I should certainly prefer to see her mar- 
 ried to a rather more mature man; but in case 
 he suits her he has a good name, a fine for- 
 tune. "Why not he as well as another ?" 
 
 *' Do you really think that Bijou likes him ?" 
 asked Monsieur de Clagny anxiously. 
 
 "I don't know anything about it," said the 
 marchioness, laughing; "but in what earthly 
 way does it concern you ? Now, I can very 
 well understand why it should worry Jean and 
 Henry, but you ?" As he said nothing, she 
 resumed: "It is the story of the dog in the 
 manger — he can't eat the hay himself, and he 
 doesn't wish any one else to eat it. That is 
 exactly your case, my poor friend; for, in fact, 
 I don't suppose you have any idea of marrying 
 Bijou yourself, have you ?" 
 
 Though his face grew grave, he replied in a 
 jesting tone: 
 
 " Oh ! as to me, I might very well have that 
 idea, you know, but as Bijou wouldn't, then it 
 comes to the same thing in the end." 
 
 Bijou now approached them, gliding along 
 with her usual light elastic tread, and followed 
 by little Bernfes, who in tones of disappoint- 
 ment was asserting: 
 
 " I cannot, mademoiselle, I assure you that 
 I cannot leave my comrades on that day." 
 
 "But you must! N''est cepasf Grand- 
 mother, mustn't Monsieur de Bernfes come to
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 209 
 
 diuner at Bracieux on the day of the paper 
 huut ? He is going to be the fox, and the rally 
 cry, it appears, will be at Cinq Tranches, not 
 more than a mile from here." 
 
 Madame de Bracieux examined the little 
 officer attentively, with an air of benevolence, 
 and replied: 
 
 " Why, certainly, he must come and dine at 
 Bracieux — it will give us all so much pleas- 
 ure." 
 
 "You are a thousand times too good, to 
 wish to have me — but I was just explaining to 
 Mademoiselle de Courtaix, that on that day, 
 after the paper hunt that the regiment offers 
 to all the neighborhood, I had made an 
 engagement to dine with a number of my 
 comrades." 
 
 Then regarding Bijou, in spite of himself, 
 he added: 
 
 " And I regret it — more than I can say I" 
 
 "Whirling around on her high heels, Bijou 
 had already flown away to the other end of 
 the hall. She was badly received by Perriot, 
 who said, with bitterness: 
 
 "You've played us a mean trick, do you 
 know ?" 
 
 And as Monsieur de Jonzac, who, while he 
 was playing billiards with the abbe, was also 
 listening with one ear to the conversation that 
 was going on about him, protested against this
 
 oio BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 manner of expressing a reproach, otherwise 
 sufficiently just, Pierrot replied firmly: 
 
 " It's perfectly true! I'm not precisely a 
 purist, but that doesn't prevent what I said 
 from being true — nor the others from having 
 said tje same thing, as they did just now. I 
 wasn't the only one." 
 
 '' Mademoiselle," said Gii'aud, who was 
 looking out of the large bay window, "you 
 were saying yesterday that you liked shooting 
 stars — well, I have never seen so many as this 
 evening." 
 
 " Indeed," said Denyse, going over and sit- 
 ting down beside the tutor, " are there so 
 many as all that ?" 
 
 Then leaning over, she asked: 
 
 " What is that on the left ? I see something 
 white on the terrace." 
 
 "It is Mademoiselle Dubuission who is 
 walking with her father and Monsieur Spie- 
 gel." 
 
 " Ah ! Suppose we go and join them. Would 
 you like to ?" 
 
 Giraud sprang up, delighted to walk with 
 Bijou on such a beautiful starry night, and 
 they went out together. 
 
 As soon as they were on the terrace, she 
 asked: 
 
 " Don't you think it rather inconsiderate, 
 and that perhaps we may annoy them if we
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. JJH 
 
 interrupt a family conversation ? Let us walk 
 under tlie chestnuts, they can join us if they 
 wish." 
 
 She went down the marble steps, and pene- 
 trated into the profound gloom of the group of 
 chestnut trees. The young man followed her, 
 step by step, with a bounding heart, mad with 
 joy, but inwardly ill at ease. They walked on 
 for some time without saying a word. After a 
 while Bijou exclaimed, raising her head to 
 catch a glimpse of the sky between the trees: 
 
 " We won't see many shooting stars here !" 
 
 Desirous of not leaving this dark corner, 
 where he felt so near her, Giraud replied: 
 
 " Why, yes — one can see them just as well. 
 Look — there is one — didn't you see it ?" 
 
 " Scarcely ! and not long enough to make a 
 wish." 
 
 " To make a wish— and for what ?" 
 
 " Oh, no matter for what ! Why, didn't 
 you know that whenever one sees a shooting 
 star, one must make a wish ?" 
 
 " No, I didn't know it ! and is it ever ful- 
 filled ?" 
 
 "They say so." 
 
 " Have you thought of a wish, mademoiselle, 
 so that the next time you will be prepared ?" 
 
 " Yes, certainly, I have thought of one, but 
 it can never be realized." 
 
 " Ah ! I don't dare to ask you."
 
 212 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " I should like to be quite another person," 
 said she gently. " Yes, a very pretty young 
 girl, in a humble condition — one who could 
 live afar from the world, and who could marry 
 whom she pleased;, in short, be happy in her 
 own way, without regard to prejudices or 
 social distinctions." 
 
 " Why would you like that ?" he asked, with 
 a trembling voice. 
 
 " So that I would have a right to love the 
 one who loves me; that is, to love him openly, 
 without concealment," and she added in a very 
 low toue, " without self-condemnation." 
 
 She was walking close beside him, so close 
 that their shoulders touched at each step. 
 Giraud, quite overcome, murmured: 
 
 " You say that as if — as if you did like some 
 one !" 
 
 He divined that she had turned her face to- 
 ward him, but she did not answer. At that 
 moment an owl perched quite near them 
 uttered a mournful and anxious cry that 
 frightened Bijou. Shej'umped aside, falling 
 against Giraud, who received her in his arras. 
 
 And when her soft perfumed hair touched 
 his lips, he lost his head, and forgetting all 
 that separated him from the j'oung girl, and 
 pressing her madly in his arms, he murmured : 
 
 "Denyse!" 
 
 She let him go on, without defending her-
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 213 
 
 self, but when he had released her, in tender, 
 plaintive tones she cried: 
 
 " Oh ! it was wrong of you to do that, very 
 wrong !" 
 
 Then she hid her face in her hands, and he 
 could hear her weeping. 
 
 He strove to speak to her, and wished to 
 kneel down before her, but she pushed him 
 away, exclaiming: 
 
 " No ! leave me ! You must go so that the 
 people out there can see you. I will return in 
 a moment, when I feel a little better." 
 
 Then as he was going back by way of the 
 terrace, she called him, saying : 
 
 " Not that way; go round by the pool; don't 
 let it appear that you were coming from 
 here." 
 
 '' Let me again beg your pardon; permit me 
 to kiss those little hands that I adore." 
 
 "Go away! go away!" she replied, as if 
 afraid of herself. 
 
 Before turning into the foot-path that led to 
 the pool, Giraud paused, striving to catch one 
 last glimpse of Bijou's light gown amid the en- 
 circling gloom; and listening, as he paused, 
 he heard her weeping still. 
 
 "Is it you. Bijou?" asked Jean de Blaye, 
 advancing in the deep shadows. The young 
 girl drew herself up and exclaimed: 
 
 "Who is it?"
 
 •Z14: BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " It is I — Jean. What ? you don't even pay 
 me the compliment of knowing my voice. 
 "What are are you doing here, in the dark ?" 
 
 " I am taking a walk." 
 
 "All by yourself?" 
 
 " I came out to walk with the Dubuissons, 
 but then I thought it was better not to bother 
 them, so I came here — all by myself, as you 
 say." 
 
 " It must be rather a change fw'r you, Jiein ? 
 "What in the world can you find to do when 
 you are by yourself ?" 
 
 "I was reflecting." 
 
 "Oh! what a large word." 
 
 "I was dreaming, then, if that suits you 
 any better." 
 
 "Ah! indeed, that's something that I can 
 scarcely credit. Your dreams must be quite 
 difi'erent from ordinary ones." 
 
 "But why?" 
 
 "Because dreams are^ usually incoherent, 
 disconnected, n-regular, and improbable." 
 
 "Very well?" 
 
 •' "Well, your dreams must be admirably ad- 
 justed ones, well-weighed. They ought to 
 resemble yourself." 
 
 " Thank you." 
 
 "For what?" 
 
 ^' Dame ! for the nice things that you are 
 sajing to me."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 215 
 
 "Oh! they are not nice, I know, but they 
 are quite true. Besides I am not here to say 
 nice things to you, but serious ones." 
 
 "Serious?" 
 
 "Yes, I have been requested to fulfill a 
 mission which concerns yourself — to speak, to 
 the best of my ability, in the name of one 
 who has not dared to speak for himself." 
 
 "And who is this person ?" 
 
 " Henry. He has begged me to find out if 
 you will authorize him to ask grandmother for 
 your^hand." 
 
 " My hand ? Henry ?" she exclaimed in ac- 
 cents that expressed amazement. 
 
 "Jibn Dieii / yes; is that anything so ex- 
 traordinary ?" 
 
 ' ^Dame ! yes ; Henry — wh_ H nry is just like 
 my brother." 
 
 " Well, in point of fact he isn't, con- 
 sequently let us not regax'd him in the light of 
 a brother, but in that of a suitor. "What is 
 your answer?" 
 
 " My answer ? In the first j^jlace, why does 
 Henry address himself to me, instead of 
 asking grandmother permission to speak to me ? 
 He should have asked 'grandmother's permis- 
 sion to speak to me. " 
 
 ' ' Hein ! didn't I say that you were an ad- 
 mirably poised and correct little creature, and 
 all that it implies ?"
 
 216 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "That is unkind." 
 
 "Oh! no, it isn't unkind; on the contrary, 
 it is only embarrassing. Tell me now, was I 
 to blame in speaking to you first ? or must I 
 readjust matters by addressing grandmother, 
 who will then address you ? — etc. , etc. " 
 
 " No, I will give my answer to you." 
 
 "Then permit me to conclude my little 
 speech — Count Henry de Bracieux, born on 
 the twenty-second of January, 1870, has for 
 his entire fortune, up to the death of his 
 grandmother, six hundred thousand francs, 
 which brings him in about " 
 
 "Oh! it isn't worth while to go over money 
 matters with me, for, as I don't wish to marry 
 Henry, it is quite useless to tell me all that." 
 
 "Ah! you don't wish to marry him; but 
 why not ?" 
 
 " For many reasons; and the best one is, 
 that I know him too well." 
 
 "That is not a very flattering reason." 
 
 "I mean exactly what I have just said, and 
 that is, that living in the same house with 
 Henry, as I have done for the last four years, 
 I look upon him as a brother." 
 
 In a tone that he endeavored to render in- 
 different, Jean de Blaye demanded: 
 
 " So, then, I suppose you also look upon me 
 as a brother ?" 
 
 "You! oh, no, not at all. You are at least 
 thirty-five years old."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 217 
 
 "No; thirty- three."' 
 
 "Ah! is that all. "Well, all the same, you 
 don't seem to me like a brother. " 
 
 She reflected a moment, while he awaited 
 her reply with a sort of vague hope, and then 
 she concluded thus: 
 
 "You seem to me more like an uncle." 
 
 "Ah!" said Jean, in vexation, "that is de- 
 lightful." 
 
 " Does it displease you to have me say that ?" 
 said she gently. 
 
 "Oh! not in the least. It pleases me, on 
 the contrary. A la homie heure ? With you, 
 at least, there can be no mistake, and then, if 
 one has any illusions they are quickly dis- 
 pelled." 
 
 ' ' Have you had any illusions ? "What are 
 they ?" 
 
 " I haven't had any." 
 
 " Yes, you have. I can tell by your voice. 
 It is bitter, cutting, irritable.'^ 
 
 Then gently pressing his arm, she asked 
 coaxingly: 
 
 "Tell me why you are so cross, all of a 
 sudden ?" 
 
 He drew back and replied: 
 
 "Because when one is not very good, and 
 when one is vexed, then one becomes dis- 
 agreeable — it is inevitable." 
 
 ' ' And are you vexed ?"
 
 218 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Very much?" 
 
 ""Why, quite enough, thank you," 
 
 " My poor Jean! things are not going, then, 
 as you wish." 
 
 "What do you mean ? What arc you talk- 
 ing about ?" 
 
 "Of — but you know very well. I told you 
 the other evening." 
 
 "What, again," he replied, growing more 
 and more nervous; "oh! as to that you are 
 crazy. " 
 
 "What?" said Bijou, "are you not in love 
 with Madame de Nezel ?" 
 
 "Madame de Nezel is a charming woman," 
 he murmured, embarrassed, "an excellent 
 friend, whom I like very much — very much 
 indeed — but not in the way you imagine." 
 
 "Ah! so much the worse. She is a widow, 
 and she is rich. She would have just suited 
 you. Then you care for some one else ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Some one whom you can't marry ?" 
 
 "Precisely." 
 
 ".Why, isn't she rich enough ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes; if she had nothing at all it would 
 be all the same to me; it is I who am not rich 
 enough for her, and then besides she wouldn't 
 have me." 
 
 "You don't know anything about it. You 
 ought to tell her that you like her. "
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 219 
 
 "Do you think so?" 
 
 " Certainly, one should always try." 
 
 "Well, Bijou, I love you like a fool, like 
 an unhappy wretch who hopes for nothing and 
 who doesn't even dare to ask for your love in 
 return." 
 
 She stopped short and said in heartbroken 
 tones: 
 
 " You love me — you — you ?" 
 
 "Yes, and you — you hate me, don't you ?" 
 
 " Oh, Jean, how can you say such a thing ? 
 You know on the contrary, that I like you very 
 much — not as you would eai'e to have me, not 
 as I should like to myself, but very much, all 
 the same, very much indeed!" 
 
 She leaned on his shoulder, compelling him 
 to stop, and then rapidly pressing her hand 
 over his eyes exclaimed, in a sori-owful tone: 
 
 " You are crying, and I am the cause. Jean! 
 Jean ! I don't want you to cry, do you hear ?" 
 
 He took the little hand that was smoothing 
 his face in his, and pressed upon it a long and 
 burning kiss; then as she clung to him, he 
 gently disengaged himself and walked rapidly 
 away.
 
 ;^20 BIJOU'S COUliTSHIP. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 " Then you wish to go away positively," said 
 Bijou with vexation to Jeanne Dubuisson, who 
 was folding her gowns in the drawer of a long 
 basket trunk. 
 
 The young girl, very much absorbed in her 
 work and without raising her head, replied: 
 
 " Yes, I have been here too long already; it 
 would be inconsiderate for me to stay longer, 
 you understand." 
 
 " You know very well that isn't so; besides 
 it was almost decided that you should sts'j till 
 Monday, and then all of a sudden you changed 
 your mind. What was your reason for doing 
 so?" 
 
 ' ' Why, there wasn't any. What reason did 
 you suppose that I had V 
 
 "If I knew I shouldn't ask you. Let me 
 see — what could it possibly have been ? You 
 haven't appeared to be bored." 
 
 "Oh, Bijou, how could you even think of 
 such a thing !" 
 
 ^'Baine, it might have been the case. On 
 the other hand, you see almost as much of 
 your fiance as if you were at Ponf-sur-Loire " 
 
 "Oh, no!"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 221 
 
 "Oh, yes! Come, let's count up: Monsieur 
 Spiegel spent Saturday, Sunday and Monday 
 at Paris; on Tuesday he came and dined here 
 with Monsieur Dubuisson; Wednesday he came 
 by himself; Thursday he partook of the con- 
 firmation breakfast — the poor man; on Friday 
 he dined here, and on each of these days we 
 have rehearsed the review, either before or 
 after dinner, which proves that he has never 
 left you." 
 
 "That is true," replied Jeanne, with an 
 effort; "but if he has never left me, he has 
 had nothing to do with me." 
 
 " How could that be ?" 
 
 " How 'i Oh, it is quite simple; he has devoted 
 himself entirely to you; he has spoken to no 
 one but you." 
 
 "Tome?" 
 
 " Yes, to you. Come, I prefer to confess it: 
 my Bijou, I am jealous, frightfully jealous!" 
 
 "Jealous of whom? — of me?" demanded 
 Denyse in amazement: 
 
 Mademoiselle Dubuisson made a sign of 
 affirmation. Then, while the tears sprang to 
 her eyes, she continued. 
 
 " I beg your pardon for saying this to you, 
 for I can perfectly well see that I am giving 
 you pain; but it was better, was it not, to tell 
 the truth than to let you imagine other things. 
 You are not angry with me ?"
 
 222 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " No, not at all." Then she added sadly: 
 "It is you who ought to be vexed with me; 
 but you are mistaken, I assure you. Monsieur 
 Spiegel, who is very polite, has paid me some 
 attention because I am the granddaughter of 
 my grandmother, in whose house he has been 
 entertained, and for no other reason." 
 
 " He has been attentive to you for the same 
 reason that every one else is — because you are 
 adorable — you know it quite well." 
 
 " Why no, I " 
 
 " I might have known that he would be in- 
 fluenced by your charm, as every one is. I 
 was a simpleton not to foresee what has come 
 to pass. I counted so much on his affection 
 for me. I thought that he loved me as I 
 loved him. I was mistaken, that is all." 
 
 " Then I shall see no more of you ? You will 
 avoid all occasions of coming near me ?" 
 
 "No, for we are going to spend the day 
 together at the paper hunt." 
 
 "As you will be in a carriage, and I on 
 horseback, I shan't trouble you much." 
 
 Bijou remained silent for a moment, then 
 she inquired anxiously: 
 
 "At least you don't think that what has 
 happened is my fault ?" 
 
 " No," said Jeanne, " I only think that you 
 are a charming girl, and that I am an ordinary 
 one. I beg of you, my dear Bijou, don't let 
 this worry you."
 
 BIJ0U*S COURTSHIP. 223 
 
 " I shall be so unhappy not to see anything 
 more of you. " 
 
 ' ' But you will see me. I am coming back for 
 the review the day after to-morrow; we will 
 have to do so, as Monsieur Spiegel and I are 
 both taking part in it." 
 
 " Why do you say ' Monsieur Spiegel V Why 
 don't you say Frantz, as you always used to do ? 
 Are you angry with him ?" 
 
 "•On Saturday," continued Jeanne, without 
 answering Bijou's question, "we shall see 
 each other at the races; on Sunday at the races 
 again, and in the evening at the Tourville's 
 ball, so you see that we shall be constantly 
 together." 
 
 "Still," replied Bijou, with a mournful air, 
 " it won't be at all the same as if you were 
 staying here. I cannot help feeling that you 
 are going away with some grudge against 
 me." 
 
 "Madame la Marquise wishes Mademoiselle 
 Denyse to go to the drawing-room," said the 
 maid, who was standing at the door. 
 
 " In the drawing-room at this hour of the 
 day ?" said Bijou in surprise. 
 
 "Monsieur le Comte de Clagny is there." 
 
 "Ah! very well; say that I am coming at 
 once." 
 
 Then, turning to Mademoiselle Dubuisson, 
 she proposed:
 
 Ji24 BiJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Come with me." 
 
 " No, I want to finish packing my trunk, as 
 it must be sent to Pont-sur-Loiro after break- 
 fast." 
 
 A quarter of an hour afterward Bijou came 
 back, jumping for joy and crying: 
 
 "Oh! you don't know! We are going to 
 spend the evening together." 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 " Guess." 
 
 " How can I tell ! at the theater?" 
 
 " Right ! How did you know ?" 
 
 " Because you have repeatedly said in Mon- 
 sieur de Clagny's presence that you would like 
 to go to this representation given by the 
 Barnes de France. I suppose he bought you 
 a box ?" 
 
 " Two boxes. Yes, just imagine ! — two beau- 
 tiful large proscenium boxes, each one holding 
 six. So we at once arranged with your father 
 that you should come. Monsieur Spiegel too, 
 that's understood — because I forgot to tell you 
 — they are both here, your father and Monsieur 
 Spiegel. Monsieur de Clagny brought them 
 over." 
 
 " But," said Jeanne, "if we are three it 
 will bore you." 
 
 "Come, now, didn't I tell you that there 
 were twelve seats ? Grandmother and myself, 
 that makes two — and you three, that makes
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 235 
 
 five — that leaves seven seats, and no one cares 
 to go." 
 
 " The Rueille ?» 
 
 "Paul, but not Bertrade, that makes six. 
 Neither Jean nor Henry are going, neither is 
 Uncle Alexis, and Pierrot has been punished. 
 There is Monsieur de Clagny, and I intend to 
 offer a seat to Monsieur Giraud, so that makes 
 eight altogether." 
 
 As Mademoiselle Dubuisson said nothing, 
 she continued: 
 
 " Then you don't care about spending the 
 evening with us — or rather with me. Are 
 you trying to think of some excuse ?" 
 
 " Why, no. I'm not trying to think of any 
 — besides, as you have arranged with papa." 
 
 "Yes, it's all arranged. I have also asked 
 Monsieur de Bernes, but he pretends that he 
 cannot accept, as he is going with some 
 friends. " 
 
 "But where did you see Monsieur de 
 Bernes ?" 
 
 "In the drawing-room, just this minute. 
 Ah! it is true you didn't know! he came to 
 bring Monsieur Giraud's invitation; Jean had 
 written to ask him for one, because Monsieur 
 Giraud was anxious to go; he has never seen a 
 paper hunt, and as there is to be a breakfast 
 given by the oflBcers, grandmother is so par- 
 ticular that she wouldn't take him without an 
 invitation."
 
 226 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 ' ' Then Monsieui* de Bernes is breakfasting 
 here also ?" 
 
 " No, he has left; he is to be the fox, and 
 the meeting will be at three o'clock at the 
 crossroads du Roy. It is very near for us, 
 but for those who are going from Pont-sur- 
 Loire it is quite a step." 
 
 " At what time do we leave ?" 
 
 ' ' The carriages leave at half-past two, those 
 on horseback at a quarter-past two. Oh I I 
 say! I've a mind to dress now before break- 
 fast, so that I shan't have to think about it 
 again." 
 
 " You have still half an hour." 
 
 "As you are all ready will you come and 
 stay with me while I am dressing ?" 
 
 Jeanne submissively followed Bijou, who ran 
 singing through the corridors. 
 
 "You are always gay," said Jeanne, "but 
 this morning I find you particularly joyful. 
 What is the reason ?" 
 
 " Why, there isn't any. I am delighted with 
 the prospect of the hunt, the theater — the day 
 is fine, the sky is blue, the flowers fresh, and 
 it is a pleasure to be alive, but that is all." 
 
 " Still that is something." 
 
 "Sit down," said Bijou, pushing Made- 
 moiselle Dubuisson into a large Louis XVI. 
 bergere. The young girl seated herself and 
 attentively regarded the room that was all in
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 227 
 
 pink. The walls and ceiling were hung in 
 pale pink cretonne, over which strayed graceful 
 sprays of huge white poppies; while the Louis 
 XVI. furniture was all of pink enamel; and 
 flowers everywhere, in crystal vases of strange 
 distorted form; the atmosphere redolent with 
 a delightful but penetrating and uncertain 
 odor, a sort of mixture of chypre, of iris, and 
 of new-mown hay. 
 
 Jeanne inhaled the aroma that she so much 
 liked and asked: 
 
 " What do you use in your room that gives 
 it this perfume ?" 
 
 Deeply inhaling the air around her. Bijou 
 replied: 
 
 "Do you observe any perfume? Why, I 
 don't, and in any case I never use any." 
 
 "Oh!" said Jeanne in surprise, " why that's 
 incredible. What! do you really mean that 
 you never use any ?" 
 
 " Positively never." 
 
 Denyse now went walking up and down the 
 room, engaged in the process of investing her 
 pretty little person in divers accompaniments 
 to her riding suit, preliminary to donning her 
 habit. Then seating herself on the side of 
 the bed, she proceeded to draw on her flexible 
 yellow leather boots, that admirably defined 
 her exquisite feet. 
 
 While she was standing before a. psyche,
 
 228 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 putting the finishing touches to her toilette, 
 Jeanne gazed at her with admiring interest 
 and murmured: 
 
 "How beautifully that habit fits you ? it 
 looks as if you wore moulded in it; it is really 
 quite perfect. But then you have such a 
 pretty figure." 
 
 Denyse w\as trying hard to push a pearl pin 
 into her white scarf, when the point of the pin 
 snapped off. 
 
 "Oh!" said Jeanne, " what a pity!" 
 
 "5a7i," replied Bijou, "it was no good. Now 
 if I win the bet that I made with Monsieur de 
 Bernes, with choice of stakes, I sliall ask him 
 to give me a strong one. And one that 
 doesn't cost much," she added, laughing, " so 
 that it won't look like a present." 
 
 "Did you make a bet with Monsieur de 
 Bernfes ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " With choice of stakes ?" 
 
 "Yes, was it wrong ?" 
 
 "Wrc'g? well, no; but rather a strange 
 thing tj do." 
 
 " Come now! you're just like grandmother; 
 she vras quite scandalized." 
 
 " Dame! and what was your bet with Mon- 
 •'sieur de Bernes ?" 
 
 " I bet that there would be at least one ac- 
 cident at the paper hunt, and he bet that 
 there wouldn't be any at all."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 2'Z9 
 
 "But it is very possible," 
 
 " No, it isn't very possible. There are al- 
 ways some accidents; this would be the first 
 hunt without one. I want you to understand 
 that I mean even if it should only be a fall — a 
 harmless little tumble — should any one fall, 
 and be picked up. I don't mean to predict 
 that any one will be killed, do you understand 
 me ?'■ 
 
 " Don't go and fal'l yourself, at least." 
 
 "Oh! as far as I am concerned," said Bijou, 
 her eyes shining with merriment, " there is no 
 danger. Patatras has never been so firm on 
 his feet." 
 
 When, at a quarter-past two, punctual as 
 ever, Bijou appeared at the front door, she 
 found Henry de Bracieux, Jean de Blaye and 
 Pierrot there; but Monsieur de Rueille had not 
 yet come down. The horses who had already 
 been kept waiting for a minute or two had 
 grown restive, annoyed by the flies. Patatras 
 alone was perfectly quiet, champing his bit, 
 and gazing peacefully about him. j, 
 
 "Don't wait for Paul; he's only „.ist begin- 
 ning to dress, " said Bertrade, openin^' a win- 
 dow; "he will join you later on." 
 
 "Would you like us to start now, Bijou ?'* 
 suggested Jean. 
 
 "I'm almost inclined to let you start 
 without me," she replied hesitatingly.
 
 230 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 *' Your three horses are going on like mad. 
 They will excite Patatras, who i^ only disposed 
 to be peaceful. Go on and I will rejoin you 
 over there. Nothing irritates me so much as 
 to ride a horse that pulls my arms out of the 
 sockets, and that is what would surely happen 
 if '^ started off with you. " 
 
 "So, then," demanded Henry, with a sneer, 
 "you are, oing to wait for Paul." 
 
 Bijou pointed to the carriages that were 
 just leaving the stable yard, and said: 
 
 "No, I am going to escort grandmother; I 
 prefer to do that." 
 
 " Well, if you do," said Jean de Blaye, "it 
 will be sure to excite your horse. " 
 
 " Why, no, it won't. I think I ought to know 
 my own horse. So then all I ask of you is 
 to go on and not concern yourself about me." 
 
 "How charming you are!" said Pierrot, 
 turning away, and going up to his pony. 
 Then addressing the others, he added, with an 
 air of majesty and vexation: 
 
 " Let us leave her, as she doesn't seem to 
 wish to go with us. " 
 
 Jean, who was mounting his horse, replied, 
 half in jest and half in earnest: 
 
 " Well, I should say there was nothing else 
 to do." 
 
 As they all three disappeared at the 
 turn of the road, Monsieur de Clagny came
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. JJ31 
 
 out of the vestibule — he wanted to see if the 
 horses had been properly harnessed — and was 
 amazed and surprised to find Bijou there. 
 
 " How lovely you are in that red habit!" said 
 he, quite dazzled; " usually red makes one look 
 pale, but as to you, if possible, it eveu renders 
 you rosier." *■ 
 
 When he learned that the young <5irl in- 
 tended to accompany the carriages as f - as the 
 rendezvous, he was quite happy. 
 
 The marchioness now arrived, followed by 
 all her guests, and got into the landau with 
 the Dubuissons and Monsieur Spieg^'l. Mon- 
 sieur de Clagny took Madame de Riieille, the 
 children, the Ahh6 Courteil, and Monsieur de 
 Jonzac on his coach; as to Monsieur Giraud 
 he was so hypnotized by Bijou, who was wait- 
 ing on horseback, ready to start, that he 
 nearly fell off the coach in trying to gain his 
 seat. 
 
 So they set out under a scorching sun. Mon 
 sieur de Clagny, much more interested in 
 Denyse than in the four horses that he was 
 driving, gazed at her trotting on in front be- 
 side the marchioness' carriage. 
 
 It was the first time that he had ever seen 
 her on horseback, and she seemed to him in- 
 comparably pretty and distinguished. While 
 he was thus regarding her with singular atten- 
 tion, Madame de Bracieux's voice could be 
 heard from the landau:
 
 232 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "What a fearful heat, my dear Bijou! I 
 don't like to see you out there in the sun like 
 that." 
 
 Denyse turned around, showing a flushed 
 face, and replied: 
 
 "Neither do I, grandmother; I don't like 
 the idea of it myself." 
 
 Then, after a moment's reflection, she con- 
 . aued: 
 
 "So whenever we find Jean, Henry, and 
 Pierrot I shall leave you. " 
 
 " But do you think that we shall find them ?" 
 
 "Oh, surely. They are following, in the 
 woods, almost the same route that we are tak- 
 ing in the carriage. They are only twelve or 
 fifteen yards from us; I have already heard 
 them. As soon as I see them I shall leave 
 you." 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny called out to Bijou in 
 order to give her a thousand instructions. She 
 must be very careful about the branches going 
 through the thickets. On that very morning, 
 even, he had been nearly thrown out of his 
 saddle while galloping under the branches. 
 And she must also look out for rabbit holes; 
 the woods were full of them. And she mustn't 
 leap in a group — never; she must either lead 
 or stay behind. 
 
 She listened smilingly to his advice, with af- 
 fectionate and amiable deference. Finally he 
 concluded with:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 233 
 
 "How good you are, Bijou, not to turn a 
 deaf ear to the old friend who is boring you." 
 
 At this moment, about two hundred yards 
 in front of the carriage, a horseman crossed 
 the road and entered the forest, and the count 
 continued: 
 
 "Ah ! there is Bernes scattering the pieces 
 of paper; he has adopted the right method, 
 which is to makfr'the circuit in an inv'ersese ^e 
 while dropping the bits of paper; after that 
 there is nothing to do but to run, without 
 bothering about anything." 
 
 " What time is it ?" 
 
 " Twenty minutes to three," said Bertrade, 
 looking at her watch. ' ' "We are going to reach 
 the rendezvous much too soon." 
 
 Monsieur de Glagny brought the horses down 
 to a trot. Bijou had ridden up to the landau 
 and was talking to Jeanne. Suddenly she 
 leaned forward as if to listen, and exclaimed: 
 
 " Ah ! there they are; I can hear them." 
 
 " Who do you mean ?" asked the marchioness. 
 
 "Why, the others; they are there. I am 
 going to find them. Au revoh\ grandmother." 
 
 She leaped the ditch by the roadside, then 
 pausing, and kissing her hand to Jeanne, cried: 
 
 " Au revoir to you too." 
 
 But the landau was already at some distance, 
 and the coach was just passing. Giraud on the 
 back seat, with Pierrot and the children, was
 
 '234: BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 the only one looking in Bijou's direction, and 
 he it was who received the sweet adieu that 
 she had addressed to her friend. 
 
 "Ai'o you sure you will fiud them ?" asked 
 the count, turning around on his seat. 
 
 "Why, there they are — ten yards off, I 
 just now saw Henry." 
 
 And she disappeared in the thick shadows of 
 the forest, while Monsieur de Clagny followed 
 her with anxious eyes. 
 
 As soon as she had succeeded in finding a 
 path Bijou began to gallop, going straight 
 ahead, her ear on the alert, and her glance 
 piercing far into the depths of the forest. 
 
 Then, all of a sudden, she made a quick turn 
 into the underbrush, where she remained, 
 trying to prevent Patatras, to the best of her 
 ability, from trampling the dead branches 
 under his feet. 
 
 Henry de Bracieux, Jean de Blaye, and 
 Pierrot now made their appearance on the 
 path that she had just abandoned, and paused 
 almost on a level with the spot where Denyse 
 was concealed, to await a horse that they heard 
 galloping not far off. When Monsieur de 
 Kueille appeared Henry demanded: 
 
 ' ' What were you doing all this time ? We saw 
 you ten minutes ago at the end of the Belles- 
 Feuilles road." 
 
 Without answering. Monsieur de Rueille said 
 anxiously:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 235 
 
 " Where is Bijou ?" 
 
 " She deserted us to go with the carriages," 
 replied Pierrot contemptuously. 
 
 "Ah !" said Rueille, in a tone of disappoint- 
 ment. Then, turning toward his brother-in- 
 law, he replied: "What was T doing? I 
 stopped for a moment to say good-morning to 
 Bern5s, who was talking to his little singer. 
 She has come in a cab, and has stopped in an 
 out-of-the-way corner, where no one would be 
 likely to see her, simply to catch a three-minute 
 glimpse of Bern^s. They can't go a day with- 
 out seeing each other, and I can tell you she's 
 very pretty — that little girl." 
 
 " Yes," said Jean de Blaye, " and gentle as 
 a dove, and well educated." 
 
 "Well, that I didn't know." 
 
 " Now that your horse has had time to 
 breathe, Paul, we may as well go on, if we 
 don't wish to miss the start." 
 
 " Yes," said Monsieur de Rueille, resuming 
 his trot, " but we have plenty of time. Bernes 
 is right behind me." 
 
 As soon as they had disappeared Bijou came 
 back to the path. Her complexion was extra- 
 ordinarily brilliant, and her eyes shone with 
 the intensely blue flame that at times rendered 
 their expression, usually so gentle, unpleasant 
 to behold.
 
 236 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 After Monsieur do Rucille's departure, Hu- 
 bert de Bernes bad remained for a moment to 
 talk witb Lisette Renaud. 
 
 "Then it's all arranged," said the little 
 singer. 
 
 ' ' Notwithstanding your dinner, you will 
 come early to the theater ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " And you will probably stay in my box ?" 
 
 " No; I must go into the auditorium." 
 
 " What! you who can't bear La Vivandihre; 
 and I can very well understand it too. You 
 are going to see it again ?" 
 
 When Bijou had invited Bernes to come to 
 her grandmother's box, he had refused, know- 
 ing well that it would make Lisette feel badly 
 to see him there. Mademoiselle de Courtaix 
 was very well known at Pont-sur-Loire, and 
 greatly admired by the women of fashion, and 
 by the actresses who alike copied her toilettes 
 and envied her charm, which was generally 
 regarded as irresistible. 
 
 For several days past the little lieutenant 
 was aware that he likewise was subject to this 
 charm. His love for Lisette had hitherto acted 
 as a safeguard. He loved this faithful and de- 
 voted little creature with all his heart — Lisette, 
 who had never accepted anything from him 
 but flowers, or inexpensive souvenirs, and 
 who, although her income derived from the
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 237' 
 
 Pont-sur-Loire theater was only eight hun- 
 dred francs a month, had distinctly declared 
 that she would receive no valuable gift; and 
 he very well knew that any persuasion to the 
 contrary would have simply irritated her, and 
 resulted in a separation. But it was even, 
 possible that he loved the young woman more 
 for her delicate soul, and exquisite heart, than 
 for her pure and girlish beauty; a beauty 
 without brilliancy, but genuine, captivating 
 and rare, and which affected him with a sense 
 of gentle, restful happiness. And now since 
 ho had paid some attention to Bijou, whom 
 heretofore he had never observed, he had 
 experienced strong sensations that he could 
 neither resist nor account for. In vain did he 
 repeat to himself that Lisette, with her large, 
 kind, beautiful eyes, her fine, fresh skin, her 
 brilliant teeth and her graceful, distinguished 
 form, was prettier than Mademoiselle de 
 Courtaix; it was Bijou's forget-me-not eyes, 
 curling locks, and tempting mouth that were 
 calculated to inspire, so it seemed to him, 
 tender caresses and mad kisses. Lisette, 
 without suspecting yet that her happiness was 
 threatened, nevertheless was conscious of a 
 certain feeling of anxiety that saddened her 
 heart. She could not understand why Bernes 
 should reply so coldly to her question. 
 
 "I am going to see Xa Vivandibre sig&in,
 
 238 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 because, in order to refuse a seat that has 
 been offered me in a box, I have been com- 
 pelled to say that I had promised to go to the 
 theater with my comrades." 
 
 " Ah! who has offered you a seat?" 
 
 "An old lady whom you don't know — 
 Madame de Bracieux. Now you are much 
 wiser, aren't you ?" 
 
 " Madame de Bracieux," replied she sadly, 
 without knowing why; "she is the grand- 
 mother of Mademoiselle de Courtaix." 
 
 "How did you know that?" he asked in 
 surprise. 
 
 " Why — just as every one knows it in Pont- 
 sur- Loire." 
 
 " Meanwhile," said he irritably, " I am going 
 to miss the rendezvous." 
 
 " Go, then," said Lisette, with regret, " and 
 enjoy yourself — a ce soil'.'''' 
 
 '•'• A ce soir V 
 
 Just as he was entering the woods, he 
 called out, turning around in his saddle : 
 
 ' ' Above all, take care that no one sees you. 
 Don't go where the carriages are." 
 
 Then striking into the bridle-path that Bijou 
 had just taken, he urged his horse into a 
 swift hunting gallop in order to make up for 
 lost time. Suddenly he stopped, striving to 
 distinguish something in the distance. 
 
 "Ah!" said he to himself, " a horse without a
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 239 
 
 rider; some man must have been thrown 
 already." 
 
 As he approached he saw that the horse 
 had on a woman's saddle, and he gave a cry 
 on perceiving Bijou lying on her back, in the 
 grass on the side of the path. One of her 
 arras was lying across her chest, while the 
 other fell by her side. Her eyes were closed 
 and her lips half-open. Bernes leaped to the 
 ground and secured his horse; then, taking 
 Denyse in his arms, he tried to arrange her in 
 a more comfortable position with her back 
 against a tree. 
 
 But when he saw her head fall lifelessly on 
 his shoulder, he enfolded her in his arms, and 
 in his excitement leaned over her, covering her 
 pretty curling locks with kisses and repeating, 
 in spite of himself: 
 
 "Bijou, my Bijou, won't you hear me? 
 Answer me^ I pray you! It makes me so 
 unhappy to see you like this." 
 
 At the end of two or three minutes Denyse 
 gave a gentle sigh and slowly opened her eyes. 
 At the sight of Bernes her solemn face grew 
 smiling: 
 
 "Ah!" murmured she, "what a stupid 
 tumble." 
 
 " How did you happen to fall ?" he asked. 
 
 "I don't know. I think my horse must 
 have put his foot in a hole."
 
 240 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Oh! aud then you went head over heels." 
 
 "Your description is right," replied she 
 laughingly. 
 
 " Have you hurt yourself ?" 
 
 "Not thelea.st bit." 
 
 Then she added pensively: 
 
 "It is very nice of you to concern yourself 
 about me, and so much more, as I believe you 
 don't care for me." 
 
 Hubert de Bern^s grew red as a beet, ex- 
 claim i'^g: 
 
 "On! mademoiselle! can you believe 
 that ?" 
 
 " I do believe it, yes; perfectly." 
 
 "But at least," he demanded in astonish- 
 ment, '.'.tell me what ever could have made 
 you think of such a thing ?" 
 
 "Oh, everything and nothing. It would 
 take too long to tell. Oh, this morning, for in- 
 stance, when I begged you to come to the 
 theater with us, you looked quite overcome, 
 and you refused — ah, indeed, you did — pretty 
 flatly— and why did yon ?" 
 
 "But mademoiselle, I — I assure you " 
 
 " You see, you can't find a word to say — not 
 even some trivial excuse." 
 
 Shaking back her hair, which fell over the 
 young man's cheek and shoulder, she said, 
 laughing merrily, without ceasing to lean on 
 him as if he were an easy-chair:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP, 2Al 
 
 " But it's all the same to me, for, whether 
 you wish to or not, you will go with us to the 
 theater. You can't refuse." 
 
 "But " 
 
 "There is no but! I ask you for that as 
 my choice of stakes." 
 
 " Your choice of stakes ?" 
 
 ^^ Dame ! didn't we bet— I, that there would 
 be some accident because there always is one, 
 and you that there wouldn't be any." 
 
 "Yes. Very well?" 
 
 "Very well— but I consider this a acci- 
 dent. Don't you think it enough of one ? 
 What do you want more ?" 
 
 "That is true," he murmured. "I am an 
 idiot ! It was because I was so frightened, if 
 you only knew." 
 
 She gave him a sweet look that quite en- 
 chanted him, and put out her hand, saying: 
 
 "Thank you for having taken such good 
 care of ine, and now leave me at once." 
 
 " Can you mount yourself ?" 
 
 " Not just yet. I am suffering from a feeling 
 of general pain and very great lassitude. No, 
 you must go and tell Monsieur de Clagny to 
 come here in his coach, and he will take me 
 back. Speak to him in an undertone. I don't 
 wish grandmother to know anything about 
 it." 
 
 As Hubert de Bernes still held Bijou's little 
 hand to his lips, she said impatiently:
 
 242 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Go quickly now, and explain to Monsieur 
 de Clagny that he is to leave the coach on the 
 road, and say to him that he will iind me in 
 the woods— by the side of the road — i^recisely 
 where I left him a little while ago. And be- 
 fore you go away will you tic Patatras to a 
 tree? Thanks." 
 
 She gave him her sweetest look, and asked: 
 
 " It's all arranged for this evening, isn't it?" 
 
 " It's all arranged," he replied. 
 
 As soon as he had disappeared, she lay 
 down again, exactly in the same position in 
 whicli Barnes had found her. Not long after 
 the sound of carriage wheels could be heard 
 on the road, and Monsieur dc Clagny descend- 
 ing from his coach entered the bridle-path. 
 At the sight of Bijou he gave a cry of grief, 
 and running up to her took her in his arms, 
 exclaiming in accents of anxiety and anguish: 
 
 " Bijou ! my love ! my adored little Bijou!" 
 And like Barnes, he added, "Hear me, my 
 Bijou ! answer me, I implore you," and press- 
 ing his lips to her hair, he clasped her in his 
 arms. * 
 
 After a while she opened lier eyes, fixed 
 those beautiful innocent orbs upon the count, 
 and clinging tightly to him, she murmured, 
 seeming again to slumber: 
 
 "I love you so much, and I am so hajipy 
 here; if you only knew — so, so happy — I should 
 like to stay thus forever."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 343 
 
 XIV. 
 
 " Come in," cried Bijou. 
 
 Standing before a glass, she was brushing 
 her pretty hair, that curled up crisply as the 
 brush passed over it, filling the air with its 
 delicate perfume. 
 
 " It is Monseiur le Comte de Clagny who 
 has come to ask after mademoiselle," said the 
 servant. 
 
 "After me?" 
 
 " On account of mademoiselle's fall." 
 
 " Oh, I had forgotten all about it." 
 
 And going toward the window, she asked: 
 
 " Is he driving?" 
 
 " Monsieur le Comte came on horseback, 
 but he is in the drawing-room." 
 
 " Ah, very well, then I will go down." 
 
 As soon as the servant had gone out, Bijou 
 quickly changed her wrapper, and put on a pair 
 of heelless pink kid Turkish slippers, which 
 made her feet look delightfully droll, and with 
 her hair flowing over the pleated pink batiste 
 collar of her long loose gown, unconfined at 
 the waist, she ran down to receive Monsieur de 
 Clagny. 
 
 On seeing her enter, the count arose quickly.
 
 244 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 His face was drawn and wore a sad and weary 
 expression. Extending her hands, which he 
 kissed, Bijou exchiimed: 
 
 " How good of you to put yourself out so 
 for me at such an hour; it is hardly eight 
 o'clock. You must have left La Noriniere 
 mightily early." 
 
 "Don't let US bother about me. Tell me 
 rather how you are feeling." 
 
 ' ' Why, wonderfully well. You saw yesterday 
 that I followed the paper hunt as if I had 
 never had any fall, and in the evening, at the 
 theater, I didn't appear ill— did I ?" 
 
 "No, not exactly ill, but still I thought you 
 were rather excited at the theater — a little 
 feverish;" and he added sadly, " besides, I 
 didn't sec much of you there. You were in- 
 terested only in Hubert de Bernes, and you 
 greatly neglected your old friend." 
 
 She arose, and going up to him exclaimed, 
 coaxingly: 
 
 " Oh, how could you imagine such a thing?" 
 
 "I didn't imagine, alas ! I saw; and I don't 
 blame you, my poor little girl. Youth is 
 always attracted by youth; it is quite natural." 
 
 "Why, no," said Bijou with sincerity; 
 " why not at all. I don't care so much for 
 youth, in general, as all that; and I cannot 
 tolerate youths of Monsieur de Bernes' age in 
 Tjarticulax'. "
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 245 
 
 *' Yes, I remember that you said that to me 
 once before. You said it the first time that I 
 ever saw you, right here, while we were both 
 awaiting the arrival of the guests before 
 dinner." 
 
 Denyse began to laugh. 
 
 " What a memory you have." 
 
 " I always have where you are concerned." 
 
 And in a voice that trembled slightly, he 
 asked: 
 
 "Do you remember what you said to me 
 yesterday ?" 
 
 "Yesterday?" 
 
 " Yes, yesterday, when I was holding you in 
 my arms, trembling like a little bird." 
 
 Appearing to reflect, and opening wide her 
 eyes, which at that moment resembled pale 
 violets, she replied: 
 
 "No, I do not. I have forgotten. I was 
 slightly stunned by my fall, you understand." 
 
 And as Monsieur de Clagny remained speech- 
 less, she continued: 
 
 " Come, now! what did I say that was so 
 interesting ?" 
 
 Regarding Bijou attentively, who listened to 
 him with an air of amusement, and parted 
 lips, he repeated slowly: 
 
 "You said 'I am so happy, if you only 
 knew — I should like to stay thus forever.' " 
 
 ' ' I don't remember having said that, but in
 
 246 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 any case I did well to say it, because it is quite 
 true, you know." 
 
 Drawing Bijou to him, he asked: 
 
 " Wouldn't it really distress you to have me 
 always near you like that ?" 
 
 " Why, no, it wouldn't distress me! Oh, no, 
 not, at all." 
 
 "Really and truly?'' 
 
 " Really and truly; but why do you ask me ?" 
 
 "For no reason. Do you know if your 
 grandmother is up ?" 
 
 ' ' She never gets up before half -past eight 
 or nine o'clock, particularly when she goes to 
 bed late, as she did last night; it was nearly 
 two o'clock when we got back." 
 
 "And you are as fresh and as pretty as if 
 you had slept all night. Tell me, could I see 
 your grandmother? I shouM very much like 
 to do so." 
 
 "Have you anything to say to her? or is it 
 any message that I can give her for you ?" 
 
 " No, I must speak to her myself." 
 
 "But she will probably make you wait 'a 
 bit,' as they say here." 
 
 "Well, I will wait." 
 
 Bijou regarded Monsieur de Clagny with 
 astonishment as he walked up and down the 
 large room, and with curiosity aroused she 
 questioned: 
 
 " What is the matter with you ? for surely 
 something must be troubling you."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 247 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Why, yes, you go on marching backward 
 and forward. Oh! I once saw Paul dc Pviicille 
 walk up and down just like that." 
 
 " I also observed him— it was on the evening 
 of the La Balue, Juzeneourt & Co. dinner, 
 while you were singing." 
 
 " Not at all. It was one day when he was 
 going to fight a ridiculous duel, and he didn't 
 know whether he ought to tell Bertrade or 
 not." 
 
 "And what did he do?" 
 
 "I believe that he didn't tell her." 
 
 "Well, he was made of sterner stuff than I." 
 
 "Are you going to have a duel?" said Bijou 
 eagerly. 
 
 ' ' You might call it a duel — and an absurd 
 one unquestionably— a combat against an im- 
 possibility. You can't understand that, my 
 l^or dear little Bijou." 
 
 "And you fancy that grandmother will 
 understand you better than I ?" 
 
 " I don't know; in any case she will listen, 
 and she will sympathize with me." 
 
 ' ' Well, I too — I will listen to you and 
 sympathize with you." 
 
 His face expressed real suffering as he said: 
 
 " I do not wish to be pitied by you." 
 
 "Then you don't like me." 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny made a sudden gesture,
 
 248 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 then stopped himself and with a calmness that 
 belied the worried look in his eyes and the 
 treraulousncss of his voice he exclaimed: 
 
 " Yes, I like yon, I like yon very ranch." 
 
 Then taking np his hat that he had laid on a 
 piece of furniture, he walked rapidly toward 
 the door that opened on the terrace, saying: 
 
 ' ' I am going to wait in the park till your 
 grandmother shall be ready to receive me." 
 
 But as soon as he saw that Bijou had left 
 the drawing-room he came back and seated 
 himself in an attitude expressive of weakness, 
 suddenly aged by some painful preoccupation. 
 The marchioness did not keep him waiting 
 long. On entering, she exclaimed, all smiles: 
 
 " You are wonderfully early, Clagny." 
 
 Then observing her old friend's worried 
 look, she demanded anxiously: 
 
 "Ah! mon Dieu! what has happened to 
 you ?" 
 
 "A misfortune." 
 
 "Tell me what it is." 
 
 "That is exactly what I am here to do at 
 this early hour. Do you remember that when 
 I came here the first time, fifteen days ago, 
 as I was admiring Bijou, how you reminded 
 me that she was your granddaughter, and 
 might be my own V 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " I answered you that T knew it quite well,
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 249 
 
 but that all that was only reasoning, and that 
 young hearts reason but seldom and very 
 badly." 
 
 " Perfectly — very well." 
 
 " Well, I am in love with Bijou now; I love 
 her with all my heart. " 
 
 ''Patatrasr 
 
 "Ah! you are very consoling." 
 
 '■'■Dame! my poor friend, what do you want 
 me to say to you ? you don't cherish any hopes 
 of marrying Bijou, do you ?" 
 
 With eyes full of tears, and a choking voice, 
 he replied: 
 
 "No, I have no such hopes, and still I im- 
 plore you to tell your granddaughter what I 
 have just confessed to you. I am fifty-nine 
 years old; I have an income of six hundred 
 thousand francs; I am neither bad nor re- 
 pulsive, and I adore her as she will never be 
 adored by another." 
 
 "But think for a moment; you are " 
 
 "Thirty-eight years older thau she. This 
 difference is to me, above all, one to be dreaded; 
 yes, I am aware of it, and I accept all the 
 danger of this disproportion." 
 
 "And she?" 
 
 " She — she will decide either for or against 
 me. She is twenty-one years old; she is no 
 longer a child; she knows what she is about." 
 
 '■ That doesn't prevent me from having souie 
 responsibility, and from ^"
 
 250 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. ' 
 
 "Ah! you see; you fear that she may con- 
 sent." 
 
 "Fear? indeed, no; lam convinced that 
 this idealistic little creature dreams of a hus- 
 band quite different from yourself." 
 
 *'And if by chance — oli! understand thor- 
 oughly th'.t I don't expect it — but if by chance 
 you she' "d be mistaken, what would you do ?" 
 
 " What would you wish me to do ?" 
 
 "I should wish nothing. I fear that you may 
 use your influence with Bijou." 
 
 " No, I shall say what I think it is my duty 
 to say — no more." 
 
 " Then you are going to speak to her ?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " "Would you like me to come back in a lit- 
 tle while ?" 
 
 "Oh! Tio, give me till to-morrow. I shall 
 probably not speak to her until this evening; 
 but, in fact, that doesn't hinder you from com- 
 ing to dine here, if you care to; it is for the — 
 for the answer that I wish to put you off until 
 to-morrow." 
 
 "If she refuses, I shall go away." 
 
 "Whereto?" 
 
 " Can I tell ? My life will be over. I shall 
 go to pieces in some oufof the way corner." 
 
 " You reasoned like that twelve years ago, 
 and here you are to-day, I will not say young- 
 er."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 251 
 
 The marchioness paused, then smilingly re- 
 sumed: 
 
 " And why shouldn't I say it ? You appear 
 to me younger now than you did then. You 
 are a wonder, my friend, no one would take you 
 for more than forty-five." 
 
 " If what you say were only true.'' 
 
 " It is, I assure you; but all the s. oe that 
 doesn't 2)revent you from being fifty-nine." 
 
 Monsieur de Clagny arose. 
 
 "Adieu," said he, "till to-morrow." 
 
 And he added with a pathetic smile: 
 
 "Or rather until this evening. Yes — for as 
 the end of the day approaches I shall be 
 seized with an unconquerable desire to see her 
 again, and I shall come, as I did yesterday, 
 and Thursday, and every day." 
 
 He seized Madame de Bracieux's hand and 
 pressed it nervously, murmuring: 
 
 " In the name of our old friendship, I pray 
 you, be kind to me." 
 
 All during breakfast the marchioness ap- 
 peared preoccupied, and on several occasions 
 Monsieur de Jonzac asked his sister: 
 
 " What is the matter now ? Have you the 
 blues ?" 
 
 " My aunt must have gonCtto bed very late," 
 said Jean de Blaye; " I heard you all come in 
 — it must have been two o'clock."
 
 252 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Then addressing himself to Bijou, he said: 
 "Well, did you amuse yourself? Was it 
 pretty ?" 
 
 "Charming," said the young girl abstract- 
 edly. 
 
 "That little Lisette Renaud is really de- 
 lightful," said Monsieur de Rueille. "She has 
 such great sad blue eyes. Didn't you also like 
 her, grandmother." 
 
 " Yes," replied Madame de Bracieux, "she 
 is most attractive, and she has an admirable 
 voice. I was amazed to find anything like that 
 at Pont-sur -Loire; amazed also at the elegance 
 of the audience; there were a great many 
 pretty well-dressed women there." 
 
 " But almost all were in pink," exclaimed 
 Denyse; "I remember noticing that." 
 
 "It was owing to you," said Monsieur de 
 Eueille. ' ' The ladies of Pont-sur-Loire always 
 see you in pink, and as you are to them le 
 dernier cri, they also dress in pink." 
 
 Seeing that Bijou looked surprised, he asked: 
 " Isn't my little elucidation clear ?" 
 "It is clear," replied she, laughing, "but 
 purely imaginary. No one, my poor Paul, 
 pays the least attention to me. " And as Ma- 
 dame de Rueille turned toward her, she said: 
 "What do you think about it, Bertrade ?" 
 " I think that you are much too modest." 
 " Oh, yes," said Giraud, regarding the young
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 253 
 
 girl with intense admiration, "Mademoiselle 
 Denyse is'indeed too modest. Yesterday at the 
 theater every one's eyes were fixed upon her, 
 and the prima donna herself never ceased 
 to " 
 
 "You are dreaming. Monsieur Giraud. I 
 never observed that any one noticed our box; 
 but even if they did, it doesn't necessarily 
 follow that they were looking at me." 
 
 "Evidently," said Henry de Bracieux, "it 
 was grandmother who so greatly interested 
 the natives." 
 
 " No, but it might have been Jeanne Dubu- 
 isson." 
 
 "That is true. The little Dubuisson girl is 
 such a novelty at Pont-sur-Loire. The sight 
 of her would be sure to cause a sensation." 
 
 Bijou shrugged her shoulders. 
 
 " You all of you know that I have a perfect 
 horror of exciting attention, and you are all 
 the time saying these things to torment me." 
 
 " If you have a horror of attracting atten- 
 tion," cried Pierrot, "that big Gisele de la 
 Balue doesn't object — no, indeed. There is a 
 person who would gladly change places with 
 you. Yesterday, at the paper-hunt luncheon, 
 she was going for everybody like an over- 
 grown fly, even though Monsieur de Bernes 
 shook her off." 
 
 " He is very nice, little Bernfes," said the
 
 254 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 marchioness. " I saw a good deal of him last 
 evening, and I was very much pleased with 
 him. He is unaffected, well-bred, and not 
 stupid." 
 
 Jean de Blaye, observing that Bijou's face 
 wore an expression of indifference, demanded: 
 
 ' ' You don't seem to be of grandmother's 
 opinion." 
 
 "Oh! MonBieuf Yes." 
 
 "Confess, now, that you lack enthusiasm." 
 
 " Well, I confess that I do." 
 
 "Ah ! and what fault have you to find with 
 him ?" said the marchioness, turning to her 
 granddaughter. 
 
 "Why, none, grandmother — none at all. I 
 think he is very much like other people. I'm 
 not wildly enthusiastic about him — that is all." 
 
 " I think," said Monsieur de Rueille, "that 
 the person about whom you will be wildly en- 
 thusiastic is yet to be born. You are very 
 kind, very indulgent. You find every one 
 passably nice; but particularly nice — ah ! — 
 that's quite another matter." 
 
 "You are exaggerating." 
 
 "Am I? Very well. Then tell me of any 
 one man who thoroughly suits you." 
 
 "Why, Monsieur de Clagny, for instance." 
 
 "So you approve of him," said the mar- 
 chioness — you approve of him, then ? But 
 how ? — not enough to marry him, I presume ?"
 
 felJOU'S COURTSHIP. 255 
 
 " No," replied Bijou, laughing, " not enough 
 to marry him." 
 
 As they were leaving the table Jean de Blaye 
 said: 
 
 " Has any one any errands for Pont-sur- 
 Loire ?" 
 
 " What !" said Bijou in surprise, "are you 
 going to Pont-sur-Loire like that — all alone? 
 "What in the world are you going to do there ?" 
 
 " What am I going to do there ?" he repeated, 
 with some hesitation, " why, I have some 
 errands." 
 
 " Will you take me with you ?" 
 
 * ' Take you with me — why ?" 
 
 Ever since the evening on which he had con- 
 fessed to Bijou that he loved her he had 
 avoided all occasions of being alone with her. 
 As to herself, her manner toward him and 
 Henry de Bracieux had not undergone the 
 slightest modification. She was as unre- 
 strained, as cordial as before she had refused 
 her hand, and seemed to have quite forgotten 
 that they had ever asked for it. 
 
 "But, what is the matter? Don't you wish 
 to take me with you ?" said she in surprise. 
 
 Ill at ease, fearing the tete-a-tete, and not 
 daring to refuse to take Bijou before them all, 
 he replied, affecting to joke: 
 
 " Why, yes. On the contrary, I am highly 
 flattered at the honor that you are so kind as 
 to confer upon me."
 
 256 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Ah 1 now you are nice." 
 
 "Yes, I know I am charming; but you must 
 have some one to accompany you besides my- 
 self, because I have some business to attend 
 to." 
 
 "Oh !" said Denyse, in a disappointed tone, 
 " won't you let me go with you ?" 
 
 Madame de Bracieux now entered. 
 
 " Why, my dear Bijou, in any case you can- 
 not, both of you, go together like that. Even 
 though Jean is your second cousin, such a 
 thing wouldn't answer. You must take old 
 .Josephine with you, and then it will be quite 
 correct." 
 
 After a short silence the marchioness re- 
 sumcid: 
 
 "But what have you to do at Pont-sur- 
 Loire ?" 
 
 " Some shopping, grandmother. You forget 
 that there is always some shopping to be done 
 for the house; and then I shall go to see 
 Jeanne. This is just the day that all Monsieur 
 Spiegel's time is taken up; so I shan't interfere 
 with their billing and cooing." 
 
 " They don't look to me as if they did much 
 billing and cooing," said Monsieur de Jonzac. 
 "I was observing them yesterday. Either I 
 am very much mistaken, or the prospect of 
 this marriage is somewhat dim." 
 
 "Why do you think so, Uncle Alexis?" 
 questioned Bijou, with an anxious air.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 257 
 
 "Because the little girl seems sad to me, 
 and the professor indifferent; haven't you 
 remarked it ?" 
 
 "No," she replied, "I am not particularly 
 observing." 
 
 On their way from Cracieux to Pont-sur- 
 Loire, Bijou and Jean maintained a strict 
 silence. When they reached the town near 
 the station, they met Madame de Nezel, who 
 was coming from "The Pines " on the half- 
 past two train. On seeing her, Bijou started 
 and her lips moved as if she were going to 
 speak, but she contented herself with giving 
 her cousin one of her sweet searching glances. 
 Jean, who appeared embarrassed, pretended 
 not to see the young woman, who, instead of 
 going toward the center of the town, turned 
 into a little street that ran through vacant 
 lots and gardens. When Bijou got out of the 
 carriage with old Josephine at the Dubuisson's 
 door, she inquired: 
 
 "Where shall I find you again? — and at 
 what time ?" 
 
 "At the hotel. I shall tell them to have the 
 horses harnessed at six o'clock, if that suits 
 you." 
 
 "Six o'clock," said she, in astonishment; 
 "three hours and a half for shopping — in 
 Pont-sur-Loire !" 
 
 Wishing to avoid Bijou's inquiries, Jean
 
 g58 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 somewhat impatiently offered to leave sooner, 
 but she refused, saying: 
 
 "No; why should you? lam charmed at 
 the idea of having more time to stay with 
 Jeanne." 
 
 Mademoiselle Dubuisson was at home. 
 Denyse saw that her face wore a sad expres- 
 sion, and that her eyes were hollow. 
 
 " "What is the matter now ?" she demanded; 
 " aren't things going on well ?" 
 
 " No, not very well." 
 
 "Is it — is your fiaiic^ " 
 
 " He is still the same." 
 
 " Which means " 
 
 "That I think he has even grown a little 
 more indifferent; but there is something else 
 that has upset me .this morning. " 
 
 "Ah! what is it?" 
 
 "Oh! something that has no connection 
 with me at all, but which has pained me all 
 the same." 
 
 And avoiding Bijou's glance, she continued: 
 
 " You know Lisette Renaud ?" 
 
 " Yes— well?" 
 
 "Well, she died this morning." 
 
 "Died?— of what?" 
 
 " They believe that she killed herself." 
 
 "But how?" 
 
 " With morphine. You can understand that 
 they didn't say much about it before me; but
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 259 
 
 I inferred that it was ou account of a discus- 
 sion that she had with Monsieur de Bernes. " 
 
 "When?" 
 
 "Yesterday, after the play— or ^this morn- 
 ing — papa and Monsieur Spiegel spoke of it at 
 breakfast, but vaguely and covertly. " 
 
 "It is awfully sad, and I can understand 
 why it has affected you." 
 
 "Indeed, yes; and still more so as at this 
 time the sorrows of lovers particularly appeal 
 to me." Then with a mournful smile she 
 added: "And with reason." 
 
 "That poor little prima donna!" said Bijou, 
 in a tone of regret; "as far as my taste is 
 concerned, I don't care much for theatrical 
 women, but this one seemed so nice, and she 
 really sang well. What a pity! and Monsieur 
 de Bernes must feel very badly about it." 
 
 "Do you think that those who cause others 
 to suffer, are ever very unhappy?" said Jeanne, 
 still looking away from Bijou; "as to me, I do 
 not think so; those who are unconscious cause 
 suffering without being aware of it; while those 
 who are conscious cause others to suffer be 
 cause it amuses them, and in neither case do 
 they feel any remorse." 
 
 As she contmued pensive, with a far-off look 
 in her eyes, Bijou passed her hand gently over 
 them, saying: 
 
 " Don't think any mor« of such sad things,
 
 'ZeO BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 my dear Jeanne; your grief will not change 
 what lias happened, and you are doing yourself 
 harm to no avail. Come, let us talk about 
 the review, about chiffons, about no matter 
 what. Ah, a propos de chiffons, does your 
 gown fit you ?" 
 
 " It fits me, but it isn't becoming," 
 
 '"Tisn't possible." 
 
 "On the contrary, it is very natural. I 
 haven't your complexion; I am paler than you 
 and that shade of pink makes me look still 
 paler, and then I am almost thin; so this little 
 pleated waist, that adapt itself so charmingly 
 to what your uncle calls your ' curves,' makes 
 me look too straight up and down; but then 
 it's of no importance." 
 
 " How of no importance ?" 
 
 "Why, can't you see, my dear Bijou, that 
 whether W( '1 or ill-dressed, the mediocrity 
 that I represent passes unperceived beside 
 beauty like yours. " 
 
 Raising her eyes to heaven, with a serio- 
 comic air. Bijou exclaimed: 
 
 " Your [point of view is altogether wrong, 
 my poor darling." 
 
 Then suddenly changing her tone she said: 
 
 " At what time will you ^ to the races to- 
 morrow ?" 
 
 " I don't know. Papa has to decide that 
 with Monsieur Spiegel. Ah! tell me now, will
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 261 
 
 you go early to the Tourville's ball ? I shouldn't 
 like to get there before you." 
 
 Denyse looked at her watch. 
 
 "I must run away," she exclaimed; "they 
 want some gardenias at the house for bouton- 
 nieres, and I don't know where to find any. 
 Some one spoke to me of a gardener near the 
 station." 
 
 "Near the station? I have never seen any 
 there but market-gardeners, not florists." 
 
 "Yes, it appears there is one in that little 
 street, you know, at the right of the wharf." 
 
 "Lilac lane; I know perfectly which_^ one 
 you mean; but there is nothing there but 
 market gardens, some lots for sale, and some 
 small houses that the officers rent because they 
 are near the barracks." 
 
 Bijou arose. 
 
 "Still," said she, "I am going to look 
 there." 
 
 Denyse was the first to arrive at the hotel. 
 Jean de Blaye came a little late; he looked sad 
 and worn. Madame de Nezel had kept the 
 appointment that she had made with him, 
 but only to give him back his freedom, for 
 which he had no further use, and which bo 
 had not dared to refuse, and unhappy and dis- 
 contented with ^ach other they had been com- 
 pelled to remain imprisoned for a long time in 
 the little house belonging to one of De Blaye's
 
 262 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 military friends, because Bijou, accompanied 
 by old Josephine, had roamed up and down the 
 street part of the afternoon. She passed and 
 repassed, seeming to search for some trace 
 with a persistency that Jean could not under- 
 stand and whicli greatly annoyed liim. Per- 
 haps, thought he. at three o'clock, when wo 
 were near the station, she saw Madame de 
 N6zel go into Lilac lane, and in that case did 
 she wish to assure herself of what she sus- 
 pected ? "Was she then so curious and crafty? — 
 this Denyse whom he so much loved, and who 
 quite unconsciously had made a shipwreck of 
 his life. 
 
 He excused himself for his tardiness and 
 helped Bijou into the carriage, who assured 
 him that he had come in time. And then just 
 as he was seeking some pretext to question her 
 she said: 
 
 "Do you know you are going to have your 
 gardenias for to-morrow ? — but it was hard to 
 find any, I can tell you. In order to get 
 them I have had to spend part of the day in 
 running all over Pont-sur-Loire; they sent me 
 into horrid little streets where I got lost and 
 where I couldn't find anything." 
 
 Pleased at this proof of Bijou's innocence, 
 Jean exclaimed unguardedly: 
 
 " Ah, that was why you were loitering about 
 in Lilac lane ?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 263 
 
 Fixing her large eyes upon him in surprise 
 she asked: 
 
 "How did you know that? did you see 
 me ?" 
 
 "•.Not I," he replied quickly, "but oue of 
 my friends." 
 
 " Who was it ? do I know him ?" 
 
 " I don't think so — he is one of the officers 
 in Bernes regiment. Ah! did you know the 
 poor little prima donna that you heard last 
 night ? well, she has committed suicide." 
 
 In a tone that silenced all conversation on 
 the subject Bijou replied: ' 
 
 " Yes, I know it it's a great pity." 
 
 At four o'clock Monsieur de Clagny arrived 
 at Bracieux with a heart palpitating at the 
 thought of again seeing Bijou, and of seeing 
 her as she was every day, still fr«e and un- 
 restrained, as she would still be ignorant of 
 his request. He was much disai^iiointed then 
 to learn that she was at Pont-sur-Loire, and 
 that she was there with Jean. And as he 
 asked the marchioness to tell him frankly what 
 she inferred from any chance remark on the 
 young girl's part, she then replied that she 
 no longer dared to mention the subject, Denyse 
 having declared before everybody that very
 
 2G4 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 morning that she thouglit Monsieur de 
 Clagny charming, but did not care to marry 
 him. 
 
 He received the shock witliout showing too 
 much weakness, and insisted that Bijou should 
 be informed of his request that evening; she 
 would then have until to-morrow to reflect ; 
 and that was what he wished. Denyse and 
 Jean returned just at dinner time. When 
 they came down every one was seated at the 
 table and was talking of the death of poor 
 Lisette Renaud; Monsieur de Rueille had been 
 out on horseback,, and had met some of the 
 officers on campaign duty, who had given him 
 the true history of the case. 
 
 "It is terrible," said Bertrade, "to think 
 that this poor little thing should have killed 
 herself — she who was so young and so 
 lovely. " 
 
 In a strange voice that resounded through 
 the dining-room Giraud exclaimed: "It is 
 just when one is young that one should kill 
 oneself; one cannot then be forced to suffer 
 long."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 265 
 
 XV. 
 
 The marchioness had not wished to speak to 
 Bijou that evening. She feared to disturb her 
 slumbers, and it was only on the morning of 
 the following day that she sent for her to 
 come to her room. The young girl arrived in 
 gay spirits, and pouted a little when her 
 grandmother announced that she had some- 
 thing very serious to say to her. 
 
 "It concerns," began Madame de Bracieux, 
 " a great friend of mine, as well as of yours." 
 
 " Monsieur de Clagny ?" interrupted Bijou. 
 
 " Yes, Monsieur de Clagny. You must have 
 observed that he liked you very much, haven't 
 you ?" 
 
 "I also like him very much — very much, 
 indeed." 
 
 " Of course; but you like him as you would 
 a father, or a charming uncle, and he does 
 not care for you as he would for a daughter 
 or a niece. In fact, you are going to be very 
 much surprised." 
 
 "Surprised at what?" demanded she, 
 timidly. 
 
 " At — he wishes to marry you." 
 
 "He too?" murmured Bijou in amaze- 
 ment.
 
 266 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " What do you mean by ' he too ' ?" said the 
 marchioness, likewise in amazement; "who 
 else wishes to marry you, that you should say 
 ' he too ' ?" 
 
 Denyse blushed, and replied: 
 
 "I ought to have told you before, grand- 
 mother;" then seating herself on a footstool 
 at Madame de Bracieux's feet, she continued, 
 " but everything has been in such confusion 
 lately, with the paper hunt, the theater, the 
 races and balls, that I haven't had a moment 
 to spare. Besides it wasn't a matter of any 
 great importance." 
 
 " Ah, you think so, do you ?" 
 
 '■'■Dame! as I hadn't any wish to marry 
 either of them." 
 
 •'But who? who do you mean? of whom 
 are you speaking ?" 
 
 " Of Henry and Jean, yes. Jean spoke first 
 for Henry, who it appears had commissioned 
 him to find out if I would authorize him to 
 ask you for my hand. I answered that it was 
 you and not me whom he should have ad- 
 dressed." 
 
 "You are a true Bijou, dear." 
 
 ' ' But that it really didn't matter, as I 
 didn't wish to marry him." 
 
 " Isn't his fortune sufficient for you ?" 
 
 "As to that, I know nothing about it, and 
 then, it's all the same to me, for Henry
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. ^Gt 
 
 wouldn't suit'me as a husband at all. I know 
 him too well." 
 
 "Ah, and Jean?" 
 
 ' ' Neither should I care to have Jean for a 
 husband. That is what I told him when, 
 after having seen that I refused Henry, he 
 resumed the affair on his own behalf." 
 
 "They are going on finely — my grand- 
 children. Now I understand why, for several 
 days past, they have been acting as if they 
 were possessed." 
 
 And after a short silence the marchioness 
 concluded: 
 
 "I now know your answer to my poor 
 Clagny." 
 
 " How do you know it ?" 
 
 " Because if you don't wish to accept either 
 of your cousins, who are each, in their partic- 
 ular style, very distinguished, it is highly im- 
 probable that you should care to accept your 
 grandmother's old friend." 
 
 " But he too is distinguished ?" 
 
 " That is quite true, but he is nearly sixty 
 years old." 
 
 " He doesn't look it." 
 
 "Nevertheless he is." 
 
 " I know it, but that fact doesn't prevent 
 me from being no more averse to marrying 
 him than to marrying Jean or Henry." 
 
 "You don't know what marriage is — you 
 can't understand."
 
 208 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Yes," said Bijou slowly, '*I think I do, 
 grandmother." 
 
 " All this isn't telling me what answer I am 
 to give to Clagny." 
 
 " Is he coming here to-day ?" 
 
 " I am expecting him any moment." 
 
 She started, then after a moment's reflection 
 said : 
 
 " You can tell him, grandmother, that I am 
 very much touched, highly flattered that he 
 should ever have thought of me, but that I 
 don't care about being married yet awhile." 
 
 Then leaning her head on her grandmother's 
 knees she murmured gently: 
 
 " Because I am so happy here with you." 
 
 " My Bijou ! my darling Bijou !" murmured 
 Madame de Bracieux, kissing the pretty face 
 held up to her, "you know that you are my 
 greatest joy, but you cannot always remain 
 with your old grandmother. I don't say this 
 to you to compel you to make a marriage that 
 would be pure madness." 
 
 Denyse raised her eyes and demanded: 
 
 " Madness, but why ?" 
 
 " Because Clagny is thirty-eight years older 
 than you, and because he will be on the wane 
 when you are in your zenith, and because " 
 
 Bijou had arisen on hearing a carriage 
 stop before the door. 
 
 Then looking out of the window she ran off 
 saying:
 
 BIJOU'S COailTSHIP. JiGO 
 
 " Here he is. " 
 
 During breakfast Madame de Bracieux an- 
 nounced in a tone of indifference: 
 
 "Clagny is going away; became to say 
 good-by to me this morning." 
 
 Bijou suddenly raised her head. 
 
 "He is going away?" exclaimed Jean de 
 Blaye; "why, he looked as if he had taken root 
 in the country. " 
 
 "Oh," said Monsieur de Rueille, "father 
 Clagny 's roots never strike very deep." 
 
 Bijou turned to her grandmother and anx- 
 iously inquired: 
 
 " When is he leaving ?" 
 
 "Why, at once — to-morrow, I believe— but 
 we shall see him this eveniug at Tourville. He 
 will go to the ball to meet all those to whom 
 he wishes to say good-by." 
 
 " And isn't he going to the races?" 
 
 ' ' No, he will be engaged in packing his 
 trunks." 
 
 " And our review to-morrow," cried Denyse 
 in despair; " he promised me so many times to 
 come and see it." 
 
 Tlie marchioness regarded her grand- 
 daughter, and thought that even with a tender 
 heart youth is decidedly without pity. 
 
 Bijou's entree to the Tourville's ball was a 
 genuine triumph; in the gown of rose crepe of 
 the hue of her skin she was truly a vision 
 most lovely and rare.
 
 2^0 BiJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Just look at little Dubuisson," said Louis 
 de la Balue to Monsieur de Juzencourt. *' She 
 has sought to resemble ■ Mademoiselle de 
 CoiirUxix. She has copied her toilette exactly, 
 and see what she looks like — her maid, to put 
 it mildly; what is the reason ?" 
 
 Monsieur de Juzencourt replied with a 
 hoarse laugh: 
 
 "The reason is that if the envelope is similar 
 the contents are not the same." 
 
 " Isn't she going to be married ?— little Du- 
 buisson." 
 
 " Yes, she is going to marry a young Hugue- 
 not, who must be here in some corner or 
 other. Ah! — no he isn't in any corner; there 
 he is like all the others hovering about 
 Bijou." 
 
 ''And you ? why don't you imitate them ?" 
 
 " I — I shall certainly marry, because some 
 day or other I suppose I shall have to; other- 
 wise one's parents complain— on account of 
 the name, you know; but as to hovering about 
 like a butterfly— ah! ma /o?', no, my tastes 
 don't run that way. " 
 
 And walking up to Henry de Bracieux, he 
 remarked : 
 
 " Isn't it hot ? you are lucky not to show it. 
 Although you look like a Hercules you have 
 such a complexion." 
 
 "Oh, bother my .complexion!" cried Henry,
 
 
 ■^„-* . t 
 
 
 ri£««¥^!lfei5^ 
 
 '^-^w^^^ 
 
 The Bride at the Church.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 271 
 
 in a loud, clear tone, and leaving little I-a 
 Balue standing in the middle of the room, he 
 went in search of Jean de Blaye, who from a 
 distance was mournfully regarding Bijou, be- 
 wildered in a maze of dances for which six 
 suitors at a time were greedily clamoring. 
 
 When Monsieur de Clagny approached wish- 
 ing to greet Denyse, she said, without even 
 returning his salutation: 
 
 ' ' Grandmother told me that you were going 
 away. I am sure it is on my account." 
 
 He bowed in assent. Then she took his 
 arm, and drawing him into an almost deserted 
 room, she implored: 
 
 "I beg of you — I beg of you, don't go 
 away!" 
 
 Greatly moved he replied: 
 
 "I beg you in my turn. Bijou, not to ask 
 impossibilities of me. I have not been able 
 to see you without becoming as mad as the 
 others. I have been dreaming, as madmen 
 dream. Now, that all is over, I must try and 
 become sane once more, and forget my dream; 
 and in order to do that I must go far away, 
 very far away. " 
 
 " Did you think that — that I would say yes ?" 
 she demanded. 
 
 "You were alwaj"s so good to me, so delight- 
 fully sweet and confiding, that I had hoped— 
 Mon Dieu ! yes — that perhaps you would 
 allow yourself to be loved. "
 
 272 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Then," said she thoughtfully, " it was my 
 fault that you entertained such a hope." 
 
 "It wasn't your fault; it was mine. One 
 holies for what one longs for." 
 
 "Yes, I am sure I have acted toward you 
 as I should not have done." 
 
 Her eyes filled with tears and she murmured 
 very gently: 
 
 " I beg your pardon " 
 
 "Bijou!" cried Monsieur de Clagny, quite 
 overcome, " my Bijou! it is I who ought to 
 beg your pardon for having made you sad, 
 even for a moment." 
 
 "Well, then, be good; don't go away, at 
 least not to-morrow. Promise me that you 
 will come to Bracieux to-morrow, to see us act 
 our review. Oh, don't say no!" 
 
 And fixing her beautiful luminous gaze upon 
 him, she added: 
 
 " You will not regret having come." 
 
 Then, stopping Jean de Blaye, who was 
 passing by, she begged him coaxingly: 
 
 "Won't you ask me to waltz, please, you 
 waltz so well." 
 
 And, leaning on his arm, she disappeared 
 under Pierrot's very nose, just as he was run- 
 ning up to claim his waltz, 
 
 "Let your cousin alone," said Monsieur de 
 Jonzac, who, seated on a divan, was watching 
 them dance. " You are much too young to
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 273 
 
 ask young girls to dance with you; I mean 
 girls who are really young like Bijou." 
 
 ' ' Ah, and at what age can I ask them ? not 
 exactly at yours, I suppose ?" 
 
 " You have a very queer way of talking." 
 
 " It was very stupid of me to come here, 
 instead of staying with Monsieur Giraud and 
 Monsieur I'Abb^." 
 
 "Ah! in fact, why didn't Monsieur Giraud 
 come ? Bijou asked for an invitation for 
 him." 
 
 " Yes, but he didn't care to. He has been 
 very sad for a long time; he eats nothing, he 
 never sleeps any more; instead of going to 
 bed he spends the night in walking on the 
 banks of the Loire." 
 
 " Do you know what is the cause ?" 
 
 "I think it is Bijou." 
 
 *' What do you mean by ' Bijou ' ?" 
 
 " Yes — like Jean, like Henry, like Paul. 
 You know, papa, that they are all running after 
 lier, s''pas — without saying anything about 
 Father Clagny, who doesn't count." 
 
 He paused for a moment and concluded with 
 a mournful air: 
 
 "And myself, for I also don't count." 
 
 " You are greatly exaggerating," said Mon- 
 sieur de Jonzac, quite convinced that his son 
 was right, but not wishing to agree with him. 
 " Bijou is certainly very pretty, and it isn't 
 surprising that "
 
 274 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 Pierrot interrupted him quickly, exclaim- 
 ing: 
 
 " It isn't only that she is pretty! She is so 
 kind, and clever, and gay, and everything. 
 One has every reason to like her, haven't they 
 now, papa ? and if I were only twenty-five !" 
 
 "If you were twenty-five, ray poor little 
 man, she would treat you just as she does the 
 others." 
 
 " That is quite possible," replied Pierrot 
 philosophically, but none the less chagrined. 
 
 Then pointing to Bijou, who was standing 
 in the middle of the room talking with Jeanne 
 Dubuisson, he said: 
 
 " Isn't she pretty, hem, papa ? Look at her. 
 She is dressed exactly like Jeanne. Their gowns 
 are precisely the same, ' stitch for stitch,' as 
 Mother Rafut says. I am sure if you were to 
 mix them up, when they were off, you couldn't 
 tell one from another afterward, while in this 
 way — when they're on them — why, they don't 
 resemble each other in the least. Oh! I say, 
 , papa, do you think I might venture to ask 
 I Jeanne Dubuisson to dance ?" 
 
 ^'■Mafoi! yes. She is kind-hearted enough 
 to accept." 
 
 She did accept, in fact, and went off on 
 Pierrot's arm. Then Monsieur Spiegel came 
 up to Denyse, and asked her for the waltz that 
 was just beginning, but shaking her head she 
 replied:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 375 
 
 " I am so tired, if you only knew!" 
 
 Still he insisted, saying: 
 
 "Only give me one turn, won't you? ever 
 since the beginning of the evening I have 
 been unable to get even one little waltz with 
 you." 
 
 "No, I beg of you," she answered, "I 
 should like to rest, I " 
 
 Then suddenly changing her tactics, she ex- 
 claimed: 
 
 " Well, no! I feel that I am fibbing badly. 
 I am not at all tired, but I don't wish to waltz 
 with you, because " 
 
 "Well, because?" 
 
 "Because I am afraid of making Jeanne 
 feel badly, so there it is !" 
 
 " Making Jeanne feel badly," he repeated in 
 surprise, "but why?" 
 
 "What I am going to say to you may 
 sound very conceited, but I must say it all the 
 same. Well, I think that Jeanne adores you 
 to such an extent that she is jealous of any 
 one who comes near you, or speaks to you, or 
 who even looks at you." 
 
 With raised eyebrows, his gentle face sud- 
 denly grown stern, Monsieur Spiegel de- 
 manded in displeasure: 
 
 "Did she tell you so?" 
 
 Bijou replied with the constrained and 
 awkward haste of one who sees herself 
 obliged to lie;
 
 27(5 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "Why, no; why, no; it was I who guessed 
 it without being told. I love Jeaune so dear- 
 ly, don't you see, that I can divine all her 
 thoughts, and I should be so unhappy to cause 
 her any trouble, or even a shadow of anxiety. 
 Do you understand what I am telling you ?" 
 
 "I understand that you are an angel of 
 goodness, mademoiselle, and that those who 
 love you are quite right in doing so. " 
 
 Bijou, with her eyes fixed on the ground, 
 breathing with some effort, her color suddenly 
 deepening and with slightly quivering nostrils, 
 listened to the young professor w'ithout mak- 
 ing any reply. 
 
 Then putting his arm around her waist, and 
 seizing the soft little hand confided to his 
 care, he drew her into the midst of the 
 dancers. Monsieur Spiegel waltzed charm- 
 ingly a trots temps ; so a vision in rose with 
 half-closed eyes, and parted lips revealing 
 her dazzling little teeth, her waist encircled 
 by the young man's arm, she flew around as 
 long as the orchestra continued to play. Many 
 times without seeing her she passed bj' 
 Jeanne, tossed about by Pierrot, who trod 
 upon her feet, and pounded her up recklessly 
 against any piece of furniture that chanced to 
 intervene. And when, at intervals, Jeanne 
 paused to take breath, Pierrot talked to her 
 volubly about sports of which she knew 
 absolutely nothing.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 277 
 
 "You see," said he proudly, advancing his 
 enormous foot and formidable knee, ' ' I'm not 
 much of a dancer, but I'm a splendid football 
 player. Our school team is coming this 
 winter to have a match with the Pont-sur- 
 Loire team. You ought to see it. It's going 
 to be very chic. As to me, I am full-back, 
 and you will see some fine touch-downs." 
 
 As Jeanne, without replying, followed her 
 fiance with an anxious eye, who passed and 
 repassed before her, delighted to guide Bijou 
 in this sweet and rapid whirl, he asked: 
 
 "lam boring you — I know; will you take 
 another turn ?" 
 
 "Fo," said she, in a changed voice, "I 
 don't feel very well. I am too warm. Will 
 you take me to papa, who is playing over 
 there ? I should like to go home." 
 
 While they went to fiud the placid Monsieur 
 Dubuisson, Bijou stopped Monsieur Spiegel 
 beside the orchestra and said laughingly: 
 
 " Why, you are really wild about it, but I 
 must have a moment to breathe in — besides 
 the waltz is ended." 
 
 She regarded the four unhappy musicians, 
 pitiable to behold, with their shining coats, 
 their rumpled shirts, and their streaming 
 foreheads, then suddenly exclaimed : 
 
 "Ah! Monsieur Sylvestre ! good-evening, 
 Monsieur Sylvestre; ah! really, I never ex- 
 pected to see yoa here,"
 
 278 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 The poor youth suddenly raised his head, 
 and murmured, while fixing his eyes on Bijou — 
 eyes of a tender blue, where could be read an 
 infinite distress: 
 
 "Nor did I, mademoiselle, expect to meet 
 you here."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 279 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Bijou, after having gone to bed at five 
 o'clock in the morning, slept for two hours, 
 and still, when she entered the marchioness' 
 room the next morning, she was as fresh as if 
 she had slept the whole night through. 
 
 " Grandmother," said she, " I have reflected 
 a good deal since yesterday." 
 
 "About what?" 
 
 "About what Monsieur de Clagny asked 
 you to say to me." 
 
 "Ah!" said Madame de Bracieux, annoyed 
 at having this matter again come up when 
 she had thought it quite disposed of. For 
 somewhat selfish, like almost all old peo- 
 ple, she judged it useless to discuss sad and 
 painful subjects unless to give relief. 
 
 " I have been reflecting," continued Bijou, 
 " and then last night at the ball I saw Mon- 
 sieur de Clagny." 
 
 "And — the result of these reflections and of 
 this interview?" inquired the marchioness with 
 some anxiety. 
 
 " Is that I have changed my mind, " 
 
 " What is that you are saying ?"
 
 280 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 "I mean to say that, with your permission, 
 I will marry Monsieur de Clagny." 
 
 "Come now! you won't, really." 
 
 "And why not?" 
 
 " Because it would be madness." 
 
 " Why, no, grandmother; on the contrary it 
 would be very sensible. If I don't marry him, 
 I shall never again in my life have a moment's 
 peace." 
 
 "But why?" 
 
 " Because I saw that he was profoundly and 
 fearfully unhappy." 
 
 " Evidently— but that won't last." 
 
 "Yes, I am sure that it will; and I have al- 
 ready told you that I liked Monsieur de Clagny 
 more than I have ever liked anybody except 
 yourself. So, then, the idea of his being made 
 unhappy through me, and possibly to a certain 
 extent through my own fault, would be terrible 
 to me, and would render me far more un- 
 happy than he." 
 
 "But you would be still more so if you 
 were to marry him. Listen to me, my Bijou." 
 
 "No," said Bijou, stopping Madame de 
 Bracieux, as she wished to speak further. 
 " Say no more, grandmother — for I have de- 
 cided, quite decided, to become the wife of 
 Monsieur de Clagny, whom I tenderly love." 
 
 And as the marchioness made a gesture of 
 dissent, she repeated firmly:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 281 
 
 "Yes, tenderly, and the proof is, that the 
 throught of marrying him does not frighten 
 me, while the idea of marrying any other man 
 causes me a feeling of repulsion." 
 
 Then kneeling down before the marchioness, 
 she murmured: 
 
 "Say that you consent, grandmother; say 
 it, I beg of you. " 
 
 " You will soon be twenty-two, and I can- 
 not control you as if you were a little girl. So, 
 then, I consent, but without any enthusiasm, 
 I can tell you; and I implore you to reflect 
 further, my Bijou; for, urged by your kind 
 heart, and tender pity, you are about to com- 
 mit an irreparable error." 
 
 " I have no need to reflect further. I have 
 done nothing else since yesterday, and I know 
 that in this alone shall I find happiness, or at 
 least what most nearly resembles it. You 
 won't mention this to any one, will you, grand- 
 mother ?" 
 
 ' ' Ah ! Seigneur! You may rest easy on that 
 score; if you think that I am in any hurry to 
 announce such a marriage, to behold every 
 one's expression of horror and amazement, 
 you are mistaken, my darling." 
 
 "Above all, say nothing to Monsieur de 
 Clagny. I shall take such pleasure in telling 
 him myself, this evening." 
 
 " But he told me that he wasn't coming."
 
 282 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " He has promised me to do so." 
 Then raising her bright face she added: 
 " And now I must go and attend to the dec- 
 orations, and to the footlights, which won't 
 light, and to my costume, which isn't finished." 
 The marchioness took Bijou's head in her 
 beautiful hands, still soft and white, and re- 
 plied, while embracing her: 
 
 " Go, and may heaven forbid that we should 
 ever have cause to regret — you your goodness 
 in consenting, and I my weakness in yielding." 
 
 The Dubuissons and Monsieur Spiegel had 
 promised to come at four o'clock; there was 
 still one scene to rehearse that did not go well. 
 
 Bijou, who was engaged in gathering flowers, 
 went to meet the cab in which they came, and 
 was surprised to see only Jeanne and her 
 father. 
 
 " What have you done with Monsieur Spie- 
 gel?" she inquired: 
 
 It was Monsieur Dubuisson who replied 
 with embarrassment: 
 
 "He is coming — he is coming with your 
 cousin De Rueille, who was at Pont-sur-Loire 
 and offered to bring him." 
 
 " Don't disturb your grandmother," said 
 Jeanne. ' ' Papa isn't coming in now ; he has his 
 treatise to prepare, and he will do it while he 
 is taking a walk in the park."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 283 
 
 And as soon cas Monsieur Dubuisson had 
 gone away she resumed: 
 
 " If Monsieur Spiegel and I had no parts in 
 the review, and if we were not afraid of spoil- 
 ing everything, we wouldn't have come." 
 
 " You wouldn't have come ?" said Bijou, in 
 astonishment, " and pray why no t?" 
 
 " Because we are in a very false and ridic- 
 ulous position." 
 
 "Are you ?" 
 
 " Yes, we are; our marriage has been broken 
 off." 
 
 "Broken off!" repeated Bijou, iu conster- 
 nation; "broken off. and why." 
 
 Very calmly, but with downcast eyes, 
 Jeanne replied: 
 
 " Because I was sure that he loved me but 
 little, or not at all — so then I told him this 
 morning that I had not sufficient courage to 
 accept the life of suffering that I foresaw, and 
 I released him from his engagement." 
 
 '■'■ Mon Dleu! is it possible you have done 
 this — and that you don't regret it ?" 
 
 " Not at all. I am very unhappy, but more 
 calm." 
 
 Bijou looked her full in the eye and asked: 
 
 "Audit is — it is on my account, isn't it? 
 on account of Monsieur Spiegel's attentions 
 to me that you have broken it off ?" 
 
 As Jeanne made a gesture of assent, Bijou 
 resumed:
 
 284 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 " Then you really thought that your fiancS 
 was making love to rae ?" 
 
 "That he was making love to you— perhaps 
 not— but certainly that he was in love with 
 you." 
 
 " Well, eveu so." 
 
 " What do you mean by ' even so' ?" 
 
 " Why, it couldn't lead to anything." 
 
 " Yes, to suffering, and, perhaps, to hop- 
 ing." 
 
 " Hoping — to marry me ?" 
 
 " No ! yes, I can't tell — to hoping vaguely — 
 I don't know what." 
 
 "And do you think that I can bear the 
 thought of being the cause, though quite an 
 involuntary one, of your unhappiness ?" 
 
 " It isn't in your power to change what 
 exists. " 
 
 Bijou appeared to reflect, then said: 
 
 " And if I were going to be married ?" 
 
 Then concealing her face in her hands, she 
 continued in broken tones: 
 
 ' ' Monsieur de Clagny wishes to marry 
 me." 
 
 "Monsieur de Clagny?" said Jeanne, 
 amazed; " why Monsieur de Clagny is sixty." 
 
 " I had said no — I am going to say yes." 
 
 " You are mad." 
 
 " Not the least in the world. I am practical. 
 The remedy is perhaps a little hard, but it
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 285 
 
 can't be helped. I love you, my dear Jeanne, 
 and the thought of seeing you unhappy fills 
 me with terror." 
 
 ' ' I assure you that even if you were to 
 marry Monsieur de Clagny, I would not marry 
 Monsieur Spiegel. He has said so many un- 
 pleasant things to me that come what may I 
 shall never forget them." 
 
 " Unpleasant things ? about what ?" 
 
 " About my jealousy — he has told me that 
 it was ridiculous — and still, I had never com- 
 plained. I concealed my Jealousy from him 
 as well as I could. Only last night at the ball, 
 as I felt ill, I asked papa to take me away, and 
 he was displeased; he thought that I was 
 sulky." 
 
 "All that will be forgotten." 
 
 "No, you see. Bijou, that you would be 
 committing the worst of follies in marrying an 
 old man." 
 
 " An old man ! That's absurd ! Monsieur 
 de Clagny doesn't impress me at all as an old 
 man. I should certainly prefer to marry a 
 younger man and one who would quite suit 
 me, but still " 
 
 Jeanne put her arm around Bijou's neck, 
 and kissing her, said: 
 
 "You will wait quietly for the one who 
 ' quite suits you;' you have plenty of time." 
 
 " No, I have quite decided; all that you can
 
 280 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 say now would be useless, and in spite of all 
 that 3'ou say, when the cause of your little 
 quarrel shall have disappeared, the quarrel 
 itself will disappear. Come, kiss me again, 
 and tell me that you love me." 
 
 " Well," said Jean de Blaye, who had just 
 arrived with Monsieur Spiegel, "are you 
 ready ? are we going to rehearse ?" 
 
 In the last few days he had become nervous, 
 reckless, requiring to be amused, trying to 
 keep himself from thinking. 
 
 Quickly drying her eyes, Denyse replied 
 yery quietly: 
 
 "Why, yes, we are ready; we were only 
 waiting for you." 
 
 And gracefully and unaffectedly she gave 
 Monsieur Spiegel her little hand, which he 
 kissed, saying: 
 
 "You are not too tired after having been 
 up so late, mademoiselle ?" 
 
 Then involuntarily regarding Mademoiselle 
 Dubuisson's slightly sallow complexion, he 
 added: 
 
 ' ' You are even fresher than you were yes- 
 terday." 
 
 Jeanne went up to Bijou, and looking at the 
 pi'ofessor, said to her, with an expression of 
 intense grief in her sweet eyes: 
 
 " You see, your remedy would be quite use- 
 less — he is incurable."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 28'? 
 
 The little review was acted before a numer- 
 ous and Iiigiiiy appreciiitive audience. Bijou 
 was so beautiful in her Hebe costume, so 
 virginal, so pure, so delightful to look at, that 
 after the play, when she wished to go and put 
 on a ball gown, they all begged her to remain 
 just as she was. 
 
 As she was running away into a little room, 
 in order to avoid the compliments of the 
 guests, slio was stopped by Monsieur de 
 Rueille, who said in a bitter tone: 
 
 ' ' So this is the costume that was going to 
 be very proper ? this costume that to please 
 me you were going to ask John to change ?" 
 
 And as Jean came up with Henry de 
 Bracieux and Pierrot, he thus addressed him, 
 ironically: 
 
 "Accept my compliments! You seem to 
 thoroughly understand the art of slightly 
 draping pretty women; only, in your place, 
 where women, and above all, young girls, of 
 my own family were concerned, I should make 
 more respectful designs." 
 
 After having carefully regarded Bijou, Jean 
 replied : 
 
 " I don't know what's come over you. The 
 costume is charming and altogether unobjec- 
 tionable." 
 
 Bijou now intervened: 
 
 *' Besides," said she gently, " there are only
 
 iita BlJOU'ri COUKTbHlP. 
 
 three people who have any right to concern 
 themselves about my costume — grandmother, 
 myself, or my husband." 
 
 "If you had one?" 
 
 *' Yes, eh bien ! I am going to have one." 
 
 Jean de Blaye shrugged his shoulders in- 
 credulously, and Bijou resumed: 
 
 "I assure you that it is quite true. I am 
 going to be married." 
 
 " To whom ?" asked Monsieur de Rueille 
 anxiously. 
 
 "Ah, that's a good joke," said Pierrot. 
 
 " Who are you going to marry?" demanded 
 Henry de Bracieux; " who is it ?" 
 
 Then, taking the arm of Monsieur de 
 Clagny, who had just entered, she said in a 
 jesting tone: 
 
 " I am going to tell Monsieur de Clagny." 
 
 And turning to him, she added: 
 
 " Only we will go outside, for I am smother- 
 ing hce." 
 
 Following Bijou's pink peplum with his eyes, 
 Pierrot murmured: 
 
 "Isn't she aesthetic this evening! Monsieur 
 Gira-/d ought to find her perfect, as he has 
 always said that she wasn't formed for modern 
 costumes." 
 
 "Oh!— in fact— where, then, is Giraud ?" 
 asked Jean de Blaye. " He disappeared right 
 after dinner and hasn't been seen since."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 289 
 
 Pierrot explained that he must have gone for 
 A walk on the banks of the Loire, as he was in 
 the habit of doing every evening; besides he 
 was getting more and more peculiar and sub- 
 ject to sudden fits of gayety or melancholy. 
 
 On that very morning he had left the study 
 to go to Madame de Bracieux's room, who 
 had sent for him to translate an English letter; 
 and then he hadn't come back for a long time 
 afterward, explaining that he had not dared to 
 knock at the door, because he had heard the 
 marchioness talking with Mademoiselle Denyse. 
 .t_nd from that moment he hadn't said a word. 
 
 "Where the deuce has he gone ?" asked Jean 
 ■de Blaye. 
 
 Imitating the little merchants of the boule- 
 vards, Pierrot exclaimed, with a nasal inflec- 
 tion: 
 
 " Ou est le Bulgare, cherchez le Bulgare.'''' 
 
 When she was alone with Monsieur de CI"',gny, 
 under the great trees, Bijou said, very gently: 
 
 " I came home this morning, feeling very un- 
 happy to have caused you grief. I thought that 
 perhaps I had been too affectionate, too uiire. 
 strained — that I had made you think what 
 wasn't so. Isn't it true ?" 
 
 " It is true. Then you have no affection for 
 me at all ?" 
 
 " You know very well that I have."
 
 ^OO BIJOU'S COLliTSlllP. 
 
 "I mean to say that you liko me as you 
 ivould some old relation ?" 
 
 "Better than that." 
 
 " In fact, you don't care enough for me to — 
 to love me as a husband ?" 
 
 " I don't know. I am explaining how I feci 
 toward you very badly. AVhen I first saw you 
 I thought you very handsome, very charming, 
 too; and since then I have felt, when you were 
 present, as if I were inhaling an atmosphere of 
 gentle tenderness. I seem to breathe more 
 freely. I am gayer, happier then; and never, 
 never have I felt like that before. " 
 
 Much rnoved by what she was saying, anx- 
 ious also as to what she had yet to say, the 
 count, without replying, pressed Bijou's arm. 
 
 "Then," she resumed, "I thought that, as 
 I loved you more than I had ever loved any- 
 one else, and as, besides, I should never be 
 consoled for having caused you so much sor- 
 row, that the best way was to marry you." 
 
 "Monsieur de Clagny stopped short, and 
 asked, with a choking voice: 
 
 " Then you consent ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "My darling! my darling!" he murmured. 
 
 " I said so to grandmother this morning," 
 continued Bijou, "and I must confess slie 
 didn't seem to be vei'y much pleased, and she 
 did all that she could to make me change my 
 mind."
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 291 
 
 " I can understand that." 
 
 " She thinks that it is madness in you, and 
 in me, to marry when there is such a dispro- 
 portion of age. And then — she didn't say so, 
 but I could vci-y well see that something was 
 worrying her — that troubles me in a much less 
 degree." 
 
 "And that is " 
 
 "The disproportion of fortunes. It appears 
 that you are awfully rich. Grandmother said 
 so yesterday when she told me that you had 
 asked for my hand." 
 
 "What difference does it make, my Bijou, 
 whether I am a little more or less rich ?" 
 
 " It makes a great deal of difference, above 
 all, with grandmother's ideas. Oh ! not that 
 she thinks it humiliating for me to be married 
 without anything myself, for I have nothing 
 in comparison with you. No, she looks upon 
 marriage as a partnership or an exchange of 
 values. Give me what you have and I will 
 give you what I have. You have your name, 
 which is a good one, and your money, which is 
 considerable. I have my name, which is suf- 
 ficiently attractive, and my youth, which de- 
 cidedly counts for something." 
 
 "Well, then, in what way does the dispro- 
 portion of our fortunes distress your grand- 
 mother ?" 
 
 "Ah ! there it is. She adores me — grand-
 
 292 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 mother, and she calculates that as I am thirty- 
 eight years younger than you, you might die 
 before me; and that, after having lived in very 
 great luxury for many years, after being ac- 
 customed to a condition of excessive ease, to 
 which I am so far unfamiliar, I should find 
 myself but badly off and very unhappy at an 
 age where one cannot begin their life anew and 
 when one suffers from the effect of certain 
 habits which they cannot readily renounce." 
 
 " You must understand perfectly, my adored 
 Bijou, that everything that I possess will be 
 yours. My will is already made, in which I 
 give you everything, even if you were never to 
 become my wife." 
 
 " Oh ! she says that a will may be destroyed." 
 
 " If your grandmother prefers it, I will settle 
 everything on you in our marriage contract." 
 
 Bijou began to laugh. 
 
 "Then she will imagine that we may be di- 
 vorced, and that a divorce renders any previous 
 settlements null." 
 
 "And if I acknowledge in the contract that 
 half of what I possess is yours, and if, besides, 
 I give the remainder, reserving only the in- 
 terest." 
 
 Bijou shook her head, and with a sudden 
 movement, full of coaxing tenderness, and 
 ►winding her pretty fresh arms around Monsieur 
 de Clagny's neck, she said to him:
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 293 
 
 " I only ask happiness of you, and of that I 
 am sure you will give me sufficient. I sincerely 
 hope that you will live for a long, long time. 
 And what will it matter to me if, when T am 
 old, I shall find myself relatively poor again ?" 
 
 Covering Denyse's face and hair with pas- 
 sionate kisses, he replied: 
 
 "And as to me, I could never survive the 
 thought that death might overtake me without 
 your future being assured as I wish it to be." 
 
 "Do not speak of such things," she mur- 
 mured. " I like to think that I shall never 
 leave you more — never." 
 
 Striving in the darkness to look into Bijou's 
 eyes, he anxiously demanded: 
 
 " Do you think that you could ever love me 
 a little — as I love you?" 
 
 Without replying, she put up her mouth, and 
 at this moment a noise of voices suddenly sep- 
 arated them. At a distance of a few yards 
 several people were talking in low tones, and 
 the dull, measured tread of feet could be heard 
 as if quitefnear them, and a heavy weight were 
 being borne. Lights passed in the darkness, 
 and Monsieur de Clagny exclaimed: 
 
 "It is very strange; one would say some- 
 thing had happened." 
 
 But Bijou, who had stopped, her heart beat- 
 ing hurriedly in her anxiety, likewise impressed 
 with the strangeness of this procession, holding
 
 294 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 the count back by the arm, now quietly re- 
 plied : 
 
 " Why, no; they are some people returning 
 from the farm. They are now employed at 
 the castle during the day, and when they have 
 eaten, they go back home." 
 
 " It seemed to me, on the contrary, that 
 those with the lanterns were going toward the 
 castle." 
 
 She had again taken his arm, and once more 
 he trembled with joy, as he pressed to his side 
 the pretty creature who had promised to give 
 herself to him. They came back slowly by 
 way of the avenues, and passed many car- 
 riages that were taking away the guests. 
 
 "Oh!" said Bijou, in surprise, "'they are 
 going away already; and the cotillon ! Is it 
 very late ?" 
 
 As they reached the front door they en- 
 countered the La Balues, who were getting into 
 their carriage, and Denyse inquired in sur- 
 prise: 
 
 " What ? Are you going away ? But why, 
 then ?" 
 
 Monsieur de la Balue muttered some un- 
 intelligible words, while his son and daughter 
 shook hands sadly with^Bijou. 
 
 And Monsieur de Clagny, beginning to be 
 anxious, exclaimed: 
 
 "They are acting very strangely. Ah! 
 what is that there ?"
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 395 
 
 In the vestibule, where a large pool of water 
 was streaming over the floor, some servants 
 were goitig and coming hurriedly and fear- 
 fully, and Pierrot appeared, his eyes filled 
 with tears and his hands full of flowers; Ma- 
 dame de Rueille following him and also carry- 
 ing some flowers. Bijou stopped short, speech- 
 less, but Monsieur de Clagny ran up to the 
 young woman and demanded: 
 
 " What has hapi^ened ?" 
 
 "Monsieur Giraud has drowned hioseiZ,'* 
 replied Bertrade. " Yes, Monsieur Gii'aud has 
 drowned himself — they have just brought him 
 in — it was the miller who found him ni^ar the 
 mill dam. 
 
 And as Pierrot regai'ded her in consterna- 
 tion, the flowers trembling in his long arms, 
 she added, in a hard voice: 
 
 "Oh! yes, I know; grandmother has forbid- 
 den it to be mentioned before Bijou, but 1 — 
 I wished that she should know it."
 
 296 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 As SHE was waiting at tlie church door for 
 Uncle Alexis to rejoin her, Bijou turned 
 around, pushed back her long white satin 
 train, and drawing the folds of her veil about 
 her, gave a swift glance at the brilliant mul- 
 titude pressing toward the portal; that 
 luminous and searching glance that nothing 
 could escape. And first of all, the tall form 
 met her view of Jean de Blaye, advancing 
 with a weary and indifferent air, conversing 
 with his cousin, De Rueille, who, in his turn, 
 seemed nervous and constrained. Henry de 
 Bracieux, with irritated air, was listening to 
 the marchioness abstractedly, while she was 
 giving orders to the grooms. Pierrot, whose 
 coat had caught in the carriage door, en- 
 deavored to release it with his huge hands 
 encased in snowy gloves, but all to no avail. 
 With conscious, hurried air, a monstrous roll 
 of music in his hand. Monsieur Sylvestre was 
 seen plunging into the dark shadows of the 
 staircase that led upward to the gallery, and 
 the Abbe Courteil, with his two pupils, one 
 on either side, now rapidly passed by, avoid- 
 ing sedulously to glance where Bijou could be 
 seen.
 
 BIJOU'S COURTSHIP. 297 
 
 • Jeanne Dubuisson, a little thin, was stand- 
 ing by hei' father's side and waiting for the 
 crowd to let them pass. Behind were hand- 
 some ladies with their cavaliers from Pont- 
 sur-Loire, and all the neighboring chateaux, 
 mingled with peasants from Bracieux. His 
 large square shoulders, and his red complexion 
 well defined against the background of blue 
 sky, Charlemagne Lavenue in holiday attire 
 was seen advancing in gigantic strides. And 
 while with downcast eye, Bijou appeared 
 oblivious to all, she reveled in the brilliant 
 sun shining in honor of her nuptial day, and 
 drank full deeply of the joy of living, being 
 beloved, and beautiful. Uncle Alexis offering 
 her his arm and saying, "whenever it may 
 please you," drew her from her ecstatic rev- 
 erie. Graceful and willowy, she then began her 
 stately march up the broad aisle, to the grand 
 organ's solemn swelling tones. A cabman, 
 who had come into the church to catch a 
 glimpse of the wedding, exclaimed, on seeing 
 Bijou pass: 
 
 " Nom dhin chienf she's a daisy, that bride.'' 
 
 To which a farm servant of " Mait" Lavenue 
 replied with earnestness : 
 
 " OhI but isn't she though ? and then, eh bief 
 why she is even better than she looks 1" 
 
 The End,
 
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 gyMeriptlon Price, $2.00 per Annum; Slagle Copies, 25 Centi.
 
 FATHER STAFFORD 
 
 BY ANTHONY HOPE. 
 The Most Remarkable of Mr. Hope's Stories. 
 
 ^fxlnneapolls "This story Is In the genuine Hope style 
 Tribune and for that reason will he widely read." 
 
 Public Ledger. " ' Father Stafford " is extremely clever, 
 Pliiladelphia. a hold privateer venturing upon the 
 
 high seas." 
 San Francisco ''It Is a good story, the strong parts o.' 
 Chronicle which are the conflict between love and 
 
 conscience on the part of a young Anglican priest. The 
 charm of the book, however, lies in the briskness of the dia- 
 logue, which is as finely finished as any of Hope's novels." 
 Nashville " 'Father Stafford' is a charming story. The 
 Banner whole book sustains the reputation that An- 
 
 thony Hope has made, and adds another proof that as a 
 portrayer of characters of sharp distinctness and individ- 
 uality, he has no superior." 
 Evening "A writer of great merit. . . . Mr. Hope's 
 Wisconsin work has a quality of straightforwardness 
 that recommends it to readers who have grown tired of 
 the loaded novel." 
 Phillipsburg " This is considered by his critics to be one 
 Journal of the strongest, most beautiful and In- 
 
 teresting novels Mr. Hope has ever written. There is not 
 a dull line in the entire volume." 
 Amusement "The dialogue is bright and worldly, and 
 Gazette the other characters do not suffer because 
 
 so prominent is the hero ; they are well drawn, and quite 
 out of the ordinary." 
 %Janity, " A very interesting narrative, and Mr. Hopl 
 
 New York tells the story after that fashion which ha 
 
 would seem to have made peculiarly his own." 
 Kansas City "There is something more than the romance 
 Journal of the action to hold the reader's mind. It 
 
 is one of the author's best productions." 
 Every Saturday, " Anthony Hope is a master of dialogue, 
 Elgin, lU. and to his art in this particular is due 
 
 the enticing interest which leads the reader on from page 
 to page." 
 Hebrew " The strife between the obligation of a vow of 
 Standard celibacy and the promptings of true love are 
 
 vividly portrayed in this little book. . . . It contains an 
 admirable description of English country life, and is well 
 written'' 
 Boston Daily " It has enough of the charm of the au« 
 Globe thor's thought and style to identify J* a,« 
 
 ' "liaracteristlc, and make it very pleasing." 
 
 Buckram. Gilt Top. tietail, 75 Cents.
 
 The King in Yellow. 
 
 _7 ROBERT W. CHAMBERS. 
 
 Baward " The author Is a genius without a Uving eqosl. 
 Ellis so far as I am aware, in his peculiar Held. li 
 
 is a masterpiece. ... I have read many portions ser- 
 eral times, captivated by the unapproachable tints of th« 
 painting. None but a genius of the highest order could 
 do such work." 
 N. Y. Commercial " The short prose tale should be a sjm- 
 Advertiser thesis ; it was the art of Edgar Poe, 
 
 it is the art of Mr. Chambers. . . . His is beyond ques- 
 tion a glorious heritage. ... I fancy the book will 
 create a sensation ; ... in any case it is the most 
 notable contribution to literature which has come from an 
 American publisher for many years ; and line as the ac- 
 complishment is, ' The King in Yellow ' is large in promise. 
 One has a right to expect a great deal from an author of 
 this calibre." 
 Times- " The most eccentric little voliime of its (little) 
 Herald day. ' The King in Yellow ' is subtly fascinat- 
 
 ing, and compels attention for its style and its wealth of 
 strange, imaginative force." 
 New York "Mr. Robert W. Chambers does not have a 
 Times system to work up to ; he has no fad, save a 
 
 tendency to write about the marvelous and the impossible; 
 painting pictures of romance that have a wild inspiration 
 about them. Descriptive powers of no mean quality are 
 perceptible in this volume of stories." 
 The N. Y. "Mr. Chambers has a great command of 
 World words ; he is a good painter. His situations 
 
 are most delicately touched, and some of his descriptions 
 are exquisite. He writes like an artist. He uses colors 
 rather than ideas. . . . The best drama in the volume 
 means madness. The tenderest fancy is a sad mirage. 
 . . . 'The King in Yellow' is a very interesting contri- 
 bution to the present fund of materio-mysticism. . . . 
 To read Mr. Chambers' little book is to escape from the ac- 
 tual on poetical wings." 
 Minneapolis ••They have a mysterious, eerie air about 
 Tribune them that is apt to stimulate the reader's 
 
 curiosity." 
 
 Pbiladelpuia "Charming, delicate, skplful, vivid." 
 Times 
 
 Philadelplila " Expected to make a sensation, charming, 
 Item full of color and delicately tinted." 
 
 Cleveland " It is wondrous strong, dramatic, full of color. 
 Gazette weird, uncanny, picturesque, and yet a gem 
 
 of exquisite coloring, dreamy, symbolic, exciting." 
 Detroit " ' The King in Yellow ' compels attention." 
 Journal 
 
 Denver "Treated in a most fascinating way J Weicd, 
 'Ximes mysterious, powerfull", 
 
 Buckram, QUt Top. Retail, 75 Ccntf
 
 PQ ^ 
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