duke indignantly rejected.  Whereupon, fixing her wicked old eyes admiringly upon his handsome face, and apparently moved by a sudden inspiration, she said:  “But why does not your lordship conduct this affair in person? why not begin a regular and assiduous courtship in the good old style?  You are as beautiful as Adonis, my lord duke!  You are young, fascinating, powerful, wealthy, a favourite at court, rich in everything that is pleasing to the weaker sex; and there is not a woman on earth who could long hold out against you, if you would condescend, my lord, to plead your own cause with her.”

“By Jove! the old woman is right,” said Vallombreuse to himself, glancing complacently at the reflection of his own handsome face and figure in a full-length mirror opposite to him; “Isabelle may be virtuous and cold, but she is not blind, and Nature has not been so unkind to me that the sight of me should inspire her with horror.  I can at least hope to produce the same happy effect as a fine statue or picture, which attracts and charms the eye by its symmetry, or its beautiful and harmonious colouring.  Then, kneeling at her feet, I can softly whisper some of those persuasive words that no woman can listen to unmoved—­accompanied by such passionately ardent looks that the ice round her heart will melt under them and vanish quite away.  Not one of the loftiest, haughtiest ladies at the court has ever been able to withstand them—­they have thawed the iciest, most immaculate of them all; and besides, it surely cannot fail to flatter the pride of this disdainful, high-spirited little actress to have a real duke actually and openly kneeling at her feet.  Yes, I will take the old woman’s advice, and pay my court to her so charmingly and perseveringly that I shall conquer at last—­she will not be able to withstand me, my sweet Isabelle.  And it will be a miracle indeed if she has a regret left then for that cursed de Sigognac; who shall no longer interfere between my love and me—­that I swear!  She will soon forget him in my arms.”

Having dismissed old Mme. Leonarde with a handsome gratuity, the duke next summoned his valet, Picard, and held an important consultation with him, as to his most becoming costumes, finally deciding upon a very rich but comparatively plain one, all of black velvet; whose elegant simplicity he thought would be likely to suit Isabelle’s fastidious taste better than any more gorgeous array, and in which it must be confessed that he looked adorably handsome—­his really beautiful face and fine figure appearing to the utmost advantage.

His toilet completed, he sent a peremptory order to his coachman to have the carriage, with the four bays, ready in a quarter of an hour.  When Picard had departed on this errand, Vallombreuse began pacing slowly to and fro in his chamber, glancing into the mirror each time he passed it with a self-satisfied smile.  “That proud little minx must be deucedly cross-grained and unappreciative,” said he, “if