"Because with women, especially coquettes, a lost opportunity never recurs. So I will bet that Madame de Valdieri won't speak to you again and won't make any more appointments with you."

"Do you think so? But what if I ask her for one?"

"She will refuse it."

"Oh! I can't believe that! What! just because I was afraid of making her ill by staying with her?"

"Poor Cherubin! what a child you are still!--But I'll tell you--let us go to Madame Celival's to-night; the little countess is usually there, and if she is, you will find out at once whether I am right."

Cherubin accepted this suggestion; he waited impatiently for the evening, for he was burning to see Madame de Valdieri again. He was convinced that Monfreville was mistaken, and he could not believe that he would be ill received because he had hurriedly left her when he discovered that perfumery was unpleasant to her.

The hour to go to the reception arrived. Monfreville called for his young friend, and they went together to Madame Celival's. The salons were already filled with people, but the young countess was not there, and Cherubin, who was on the watch for her and hoped to see her whenever the door of the salon opened, was restless and preoccupied to a degree that did not escape Madame Celival. The sprightly widow declared war on him and tried to keep him by her side; but at last Madame de Valdieri appeared with her husband.

Never had the little countess been dressed with better taste, with more grace and coquetry; never had she worn a costume which set off her charms to greater advantage; one would have said that the fascinating Emma had sworn to make more conquests than ever that evening, in order to be revenged for her discomfiture during the day.

All the men vied with one another in extolling the charms of the new arrival. Cherubin did not say a word; but he could not tire of gazing at Emma, and he said to himself:

"And I was sitting beside her this morning--and we were alone in her boudoir--and her head was almost on my shoulder--and--Gad! I believe that Monfreville is right; I was a great fool."

Cherubin waited until the countess had received the homage which men hasten to lay at a pretty woman's feet. When Madame de Valdieri was no longer surrounded, he seized an opportunity to go to her, and said in an almost familiar tone:

"Well, madame, are you better this evening? Your indisposition had no serious results?"

The little countess bestowed a contemptuous glance on Cherubin, and answered in an ironical tone:

"I don't know what you mean, monsieur!"

"You don't know what I mean? Why, this morning----"

The countess rose, as if she did not choose to listen to Cherubin, and seated herself beside a lady with whom she speedily began a very lively conversation, judging from the frequent bursts of laughter with which it was interspersed.

The young man was speechless with amazement.

"What a tone! what an expression!" he said to himself as he took a seat in a corner. "One would think that she did not know me."

Monfreville, who had taken his place at a card table, was not at hand to console his friend, and Cherubin had been sitting by himself for quite a long time, when a hand was laid gently on his shoulder, and a penetrating voice said, almost in his ear:

"What are you doing here? sulking? Madame de Valdieri doesn't seem to treat you very well this evening."

"Ah! is it you, madame?"

"Haven't I guessed right, that you are at odds with the countess?"

"Oh! I a.s.sure you that you are mistaken; I am not sufficiently intimate with that lady to----"

"You are discreet--that is right, and it will be a recommendation with the ladies."

"Well, well!" thought Cherubin, "they all seem to be agreed on that point; Madame Celival says almost the same thing that the countess said."

The lovely widow seated herself for a moment by Cherubin's side, and said in a very low tone:

"You must have done something very bad, to be treated so--to be looked at like that?"

"I, madame? Why, I give you my word that I have done nothing at all."

"Bless me! how innocently he answers! One would take him for a little saint."

"Well, she asked me if your boudoir was prettier than--than hers. I told her that I knew nothing about it, and she told me that I lied; but you know that I told the truth."

"Ah! so she asked you if my boudoir was prettier, did she?" said Madame Celival in an irritated tone. "You admit then that you go to her boudoir? Ah! that little countess! But, on my word, I consider it very inquisitive of her to ask you if you had seen mine!--And you said no?"

"Why, I don't see how I could have said yes, madame; that would have been a lie."

"Great heaven! what an astonishing creature you are with your scruples!

As if people never lied in society! Why, you must know that one is driven to it sometimes, that it is absolutely necessary. However, I propose that you shall make the acquaintance of my boudoir, so that you can answer that lady when she questions you again.--Come to breakfast with me to-morrow."

"Oh! how kind you are, madame!"

"Will you come? will you be allowed?"

"Will I be allowed! Am I not my own master, pray?"

"Perhaps.--I shall expect you then to-morrow, at twelve o'clock; and we will breakfast in my boudoir; so that you may have plenty of time to make its acquaintance, and to tell madame la comtesse what you think of it."

"Oh! I am willing to bet in advance that it is prettier than hers, and not so dark."

Madame Celival smiled, placed her hand softly in Cherubin's, and walked away, murmuring almost inaudibly:

"Until to-morrow!"

Cherubin, enchanted with his new a.s.signation, incontinently forgot Madame de Valdieri's disdain; he recovered his spirits and his a.s.surance, sought out Monfreville, who was at the card-table, and whispered:

"I have another, my friend."

"Another what?"

"Why, another appointment, in a boudoir, for to-morrow."

"With the same person?"

"No, with Madame Celival."

"You are a lucky dog! Pray try to carry it off better than before."

"Oh! make your mind easy! I shan't put on any perfumery at all this time.--Are you going to play much longer?"

"Yes, we are just beginning a game of whist; I shall play two rubbers at least."

"I will leave you then; I am going home to bed."