“I am of opinion,” interrupted Vallombreuse, with a significant smile, “that it would be well for me to go and report myself to my father.  I want to announce your arrival to him myself, de Sigognac!  Not that he will need to be specially prepared to receive you, for I am bound to confess—­what may surprise my little sister here—­that he knew such a thing might come about, and was equally implicated with my graceless self in this little conspiracy.  But one thing yet—­tell me before I go, Isabelle, Comtesse de Lineuil, whether you really do intend to accept the Baron de Sigognac as your husband—­I don’t want to run any risk of making a blunder at this stage of the proceedings, you understand, after having conducted the negotiations successfully up to this point.  You do definitely and finally accept him, eh?—­that is well—­and now I will go to the prince.  Engaged lovers sometimes have matters to discuss that even a brother may not hear, so I will leave you together, feeling sure that you will both thank me for it in your hearts.  Adieu!—­make the most of your time, for I shall soon return to conduct de Sigognac to the prince.”

With a laughing nod the young duke picked up his hat and went away, leaving the two happy lovers alone together, and—­however agreeable his company may have been to them, it must be admitted that his absence was, as he had predicted, very welcome to both.  The Baron de Sigognac eagerly approached Isabelle, and—­again possessed himself of her fair hand, which she did not withdraw from his warm, loving clasp.  Neither spoke, and for a few minutes the fond lovers stood side by side and gazed into each other’s eyes.  Such silence is more eloquent than any words.  At last de Sigognac said softly, “I can scarcely believe even yet in the reality of so much bliss.  Oh! what a strange, contradictory destiny is mine.  You loved me, my darling, because I was poor and unhappy—­and thus my past misery was the direct cause of my present felicity.  A troupe of strolling actors, who chanced to seek refuge under my crumbling roof, held in reserve for me an angel of purity and goodness—­a hostile encounter has given me a devoted friend—­and, most wonderful of all, your forcible abduction led to your meeting the fond father who had been seeking you so many years in vain.  And all this because a Thespian chariot went astray one stormy night in the Landes.”

“We were destined for each other—­it was all arranged for us in heaven above.  Twin souls are sure to come together at last, if they can only have patience to wait for the meeting.  I felt instinctively, when we met at the Chateau de Sigognac, that you were my fate.  At sight of you my heart, which had always lain dormant before, and never responded to any appeal, thrilled within me, and, unasked, yielded to you all its love and allegiance.  Your very timidity won more for you than the greatest boldness and assurance could have done, and from the first moment of our acquaintance I resolved never to give myself to any one but you, or God.”