The previous day, Antoinette once departed, Mme. de Lorcy had resumed her attack on Princess Gulof, and the princess had ended by consenting to delay her departure, to dine with the adventurer of the green eyes, and to subject him to a close scrutiny.  There she was; yes, it was indeed she!  The first impulse of Samuel Brohl was to regain the door as speedily as possible; but he did nothing of the kind.  He looked at Mme. de Lorcy:  she herself was regarding him with astonishment; she wondered what could suddenly have overcome him; she could find no explanation for the bewilderment apparent in his countenance.  “It is a mere chance,” he thought at last; “she has not intentionally drawn me into a snare.”  This thought was productive of a sort of half relief.

“Eh bien! what is it?” she asked.  “Has my poor salon still the misfortune to be hurtful to you?”

He pointed to a jardiniere, saying:  “You are fond of hyacinths and tuberoses; their perfume overpowered me for a moment.  I fear you think me very effeminate.”

She replied in a caressing voice:  “I take you for a most worthy man who has terrible nerves; but you know by experience that if you have weaknesses I have salts.  Will you have my smelling-bottle?”

“You are a thousand times too good,” he rejoined, and bravely marched forward to face the danger.  It is a well-known fact that dangers in a silken robe are the most formidable of all.

Mme. de Lorcy presented him to the princess, who raised her chin to examine him with her little glittering eyes.  It seemed to him that those gray orbs directed at him were two balls, which struck him in the heart; he quivered from head to foot and asked himself confusedly whether he were dead or living.  He soon perceived that he was still living; the princess had remained impassible—­not a muscle of her face had moved.  She ended by bestowing upon Samuel a smile that was almost gracious, and addressing to him some insignificant words, which he only half understood, but which seemed to him exquisite—­delicious.  He fancied that she was saying to him:  “You have a chance, you were born lucky; my sight has been impaired for some years, and I do not recognise you.  Bless your star, you are saved!” He experienced such a transport of joy that he could have flung his arms about the neck of Abbe Miollens, who came up to him with extended hand, saying: 

“What have you been thinking about, my dear count?  Since we last met a very great event has been accomplished.  What woman wishes, God wishes; but, after all, my own humble efforts were not without avail, and I am proud of it.”

Mme. de Lorcy requested Count Larinski to offer his arm to Princess Gulof and lead her out to dinner.  He mechanically complied; but he had not the strength to utter a syllable as he conducted the princess to table.  She herself said nothing; she seemed wholly busied in arranging with her unoccupied hand a lock of her gray hair, which had strayed too far over her forehead.  He looked fixedly at this short, plump hand, which one day in a fit of jealous fury had administered to him two smart blows; his cheeks recognised it.