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sign of the greatest uneasiness； he told his antagonist his name；
bidding him keep silence before the young lady entrusted to his care。
The stranger could not help smiling as he gave a visiting card to the
old man； desiring him to observe that he was living at a country…house
at Chevreuse； and； after pointing this out to him； he hurried away。
〃You very nearly damaged that poor young counter…jumper； my dear；〃
said the Count； advancing hastily to meet Emilie。 〃Do you not know how
to hold your horse in？And there you leave me to compromise my
dignity in order to screen your folly； whereas if you had but stopped；
one of your looks； or one of your pretty speechesone of those you
can make so prettily when you are not pertwould have set everything
right； even if you had broken his arm。〃
〃But； my dear uncle； it was your horse； not mine； that caused the
accident。 I really think you can no longer ride； you are not so good a
horseman as you were last year。But instead of talking nonsense〃
〃Nonsense； by Gad！ Is it nothing to be so impertinent to your uncle？〃
〃Ought we not to go on and inquire if the young man is hurt？ He is
limping； uncle； only look！〃
〃No； he is running； I rated him soundly。〃
〃Oh； yes； uncle； I know you there！〃
〃Stop；〃 said the Count； pulling Emilie's horse by the bridle； 〃I do
not see the necessity of making advances to some shopkeeper who is
only too lucky to have been thrown down by a charming young lady； or
the commander of La Belle…Poule。〃
〃Why do you think he is anything so common； my dear uncle？ He seems to
me to have very fine manners。〃
〃Every one has manners nowadays； my dear。〃
〃No； uncle； not every one has the air and style which come of the
habit of frequenting drawing…rooms； and I am ready to lay a bet with
you that the young man is of noble birth。〃
〃You had not long to study him。〃
〃No； but it is not the first time I have seen him。〃
〃Nor is it the first time you have looked for him；〃 replied the
admiral with a laugh。
Emilie colored。 Her uncle amused himself for some time with her
embarrassment； then he said： 〃Emilie； you know that I love you as my
own child； precisely because you are the only member of the family who
has the legitimate pride of high birth。 Devil take it； child； who
could have believed that sound principles would become so rare？ Well；
I will be your confidant。 My dear child； I see that his young
gentleman is not indifferent to you。 Hush！ All the family would laugh
at us if we sailed under the wrong flag。 You know what that means。 We
two will keep our secret； and I promise to bring him straight into the
drawing…room。〃
〃When； uncle？〃
〃To…morrow。〃
〃But； my dear uncle； I am not committed to anything？〃
〃Nothing whatever； and you may bombard him； set fire to him； and leave
him to founder like an old hulk if you choose。 He won't be the first；
I fancy？〃
〃You ARE kind； uncle！〃
As soon as the Count got home he put on his glasses； quietly took the
card out of his pocket； and read； 〃Maximilien Longueville； Rue de
Sentier。〃
〃Make yourself happy； my dear niece；〃 he said to Emilie； 〃you may hook
him with any easy conscience； he belongs to one of our historical
families； and if he is not a peer of France； he infallibly will be。〃
〃How do you know so much？〃
〃That is my secret。〃
〃Then do you know his name？〃
The old man bowed his gray head； which was not unlike a gnarled oak…
stump； with a few leaves fluttering about it； withered by autumnal
frosts； and his niece immediately began to try the ever…new power of
her coquettish arts。 Long familiar with the secret of cajoling the old
man； she lavished on him the most childlike caresses； the tenderest
names； she even went so far as to kiss him to induce him to divulge so
important a secret。 The old man； who spent his life in playing off
these scenes on his niece； often paying for them with a present of
jewelry； or by giving her his box at the opera； this time amused
himself with her entreaties； and； above all； her caresses。 But as he
spun out this pleasure too long； Emilie grew angry； passed from
coaxing to sarcasm and sulks； then； urged by curiosity； she recovered
herself。 The diplomatic admiral extracted a solemn promise from his
niece that she would for the future be gentler； less noisy； and less
wilful； that she would spend less； and； above all； tell him
everything。 The treaty being concluded； and signed by a kiss impressed
on Emilie's white brow； he led her into a corner of the room； drew her
on to his knee； held the card under the thumbs so as to hide it； and
then uncovered the letters one by one； spelling the name of
Longueville； but he firmly refused to show her anything more。
This incident added to the intensity of Mademoiselle de Fontaine's
secret sentiment； and during chief part of the night she evolved the
most brilliant pictures from the dreams with which she had fed her
hopes。 At last； thanks to chance； to which she had so often appealed；
Emilie could now see something very unlike a chimera at the fountain…
head of the imaginary wealth with which she gilded her married life。
Ignorant； as all young girls are； of the perils of love and marriage；
she was passionately captivated by the externals of marriage and love。
Is not this as much as to say that her feeling had birth like all the
feelings of extreme youthsweet but cruel mistakes； which exert a
fatal influence on the lives of young girls so inexperienced as to
trust their own judgment to take care of their future happiness？
Next morning； before Emilie was awake； her uncle had hastened to
Chevreuse。 On recognizing； in the courtyard of an elegant little
villa； the young man he had so determinedly insulted the day before；
he went up to him with the pressing politeness of men of the old
court。
〃Why； my dear sir； who could have guessed that I should have a brush；
at the age of seventy…three； with the son； or the grandson； of one of
my best friends。 I am a vice…admiral； monsieur； is not that as much as
to say that I think no more of fighting a duel than of smoking a
cigar？ Why； in my time； no two young men could be intimate till they
had seen the color of their blood！ But 'sdeath； sir； last evening；
sailor…like； I had taken a drop too much grog on board； and I ran you
down。 Shake hands； I would rather take a hundred rebuffs from a
Longueville than cause his family the smallest regret。〃
However coldly the young man tried to behave to the Comte de
Kergarouet； he could not resist the frank cordiality of his manner；
and presently gave him his hand。
〃You were going out riding；〃 said the Count。 〃Do not let me detain
you。 But； unless you have other plans； I beg you will come to dinner
to…day at the Villa Planat。 My nephew； the Comte de Fontaine； is a man
it is essential that you should know。 Ah； ha！ And I propose to make up
to you for my clumsiness by introducing you to f