"Whatever is agreeable to you, I will do, madame."

"Indeed! But it did not suit your pleasure to join our game?"

"Madame, if you would kindly attend to your play----"

"Oh! Monsieur Clairval is so severe!"

"No, madame; but we don't usually talk when we're playing whist."

"Mon Dieu! if one must never say a word---- Ah! Monsieur Batonnin, that is too cruel! Don't you remember my signal?"

"I beg your pardon, madame; but no man is required to do the impossible."

"I don't understand proverbs."

"That means," observed the count, with a laugh, "that monsieur has no club."

"That makes no difference; his game was to play one."

"Let us put our cards on the table, and play that way; it will be simpler," interposed Monsieur Clairval.

"I had thutht ath lief; I played that way onth, a three-handed game with a dummy."

"Monsieur de Raincy, I might justly complain, as well as madame; but I see that this is an evening of absent-mindedness."

"Why, what did I do wrong. I don't thee----"

"Oh! I shall tell you later."

"I flatter mythelf that I play a fine game of whitht."

"You are quite right!"

"Well, Monsieur Batonnin! well! what are you thinking about?"

"I thought you would trump, madame."

"We've lost the odd--and it's your fault."

"We have won."

"Now for the rubber!"

"I beg you, Monsieur de la Beriniere, stand behind Monsieur Batonnin.--Oh! he doesn't listen to me! he has gone to pay his court to Mademoiselle Adolphine. What a b.u.t.terfly that man is, and when will he sober down?"

"It seems to me," observed Monsieur Clairval, with a smile, "that it would be rather hard for him to change his habits now."

The count had, in fact, approached Adolphine, who was still pretending to be absorbed in the music-books, and who apparently did not see that anyone was by her side.

"You are fond of music, mademoiselle?"

"Ah!--I beg your pardon. Yes, monsieur, very."

"Do you sing?"

"A little."

"Young ladies are never willing to admit that they sing more than a little. I don't refer to you, mademoiselle. I am told that your voice is very sweet and true."

"Your informant flatters me, monsieur."

"Shall we have the pleasure of hearing you this evening?"

"I don't know at all, monsieur. But, if it will gratify my sister----"

"Your sister, of course; but the whole company as well."

"Oh! whist players care but little for singing."

"You are more or less right; that game makes savages of people--ferocious savages, I may say. Whist enthusiasts close the door when there is singing in the next room. I verily believe, that, if you told them the house was burning down, they'd insist on finishing their _rub_ before making their escape."

"You see that it would be very unkind of me to sing."

"Pardon me, I am not playing; and what do you care if----"

"Monsieur de la Beriniere, in the name of your ancestors, come and show Monsieur Batonnin how to play; it's very important! We are playing the rub, and I don't want to lose it through my partner's misplay."

"That Madame de Mirallon is a terrible creature, really! Ah! when women grow old, they gain in exactingness what they lose in attractions; and the compensation isn't sufficient."

Having indulged in this muttered reflection, the count returned to his station behind Monsieur Batonnin; and Madame de Mirallon bestowed a long and searching glance upon him as she said:

"It's very hard to keep you, now!"

And the _word_ now brought a smile to the lips of Monsieur Clairval, who said to his partner:

"Come, Monsieur de Raincy, we must stand to our guns; we are playing against three."

XX

A NEWLY MARRIED PAIR

Adolphine left the piano and sat down beside her sister.

"I am sure that you are annoyed, f.a.n.n.y, because your husband doesn't come home."