I spent two hours in this manner, and then went to bed, impatient to renew the combat on the following day more at my ease and with greater comfort.

At eight o’clock we were all assembled round the breakfast-table, but in spite of my high spirits I could not make the rest of the company share them.  All were silent and pensive; curiosity shewed itself on every face.  Clementine and her sister pretended to partake the general feeling, and were silent like the rest while I looked on and enjoyed their expectancy.

Clairmont, who had fulfilled my instructions to the letter, came in and told us that the carriages were at the door.  I asked my guests to follow me, and they did so in silence.  I put the countess and Clementine in my carriage, the latter holding the baby on her lap, her sister and the three gentlemen being seated in the other carriage.  I called out, with a laugh,

“Drive to Milan.”

“Milan!  Milan!” they exclaimed with one voice.  “Capital! capital!”

Clairmont galloped in front of us and went off.  Clementine pretended to be astonished, but her sister looked as if she had known something of our destination before.  All care, however, had disappeared, and the highest spirits prevailed.  We stopped at a village half-way between St. Angelo and Milan to blow the horses, and everybody got down.

“What will my wife say?” asked the count.

“Nothing, for she will not know anything about it, and if she does I am the only guilty party.  You are to dine with me in a suite of rooms which I have occupied incognito since I have been at Milan; for you will understand that I could not have my wants attended to at your house, where the place is already taken.”

“And how about Zenobia?”

“Zenobia was a lucky chance, and is a very nice girl, but she would not suffice for my daily fare.”

“You are a lucky fellow!”

“I try to make myself comfortable.”

“My dear husband,” said the Countess Ambrose, “you proposed a visit to Milan two years ago, and the chevalier proposed it a few hours ago, and now we are on our way.”

“Yes, sweetheart, but my idea was that we should spend a month there.”

“If you want to do that,” said I, “I will see to everything.”

“Thank you, my dear sir; you are really a wonderful man.”

“You do me too much honour, count, there is nothing wonderful about me, except that I execute easily an easy task.”

“Yes; but you will confess that a thing may be difficult from the way in which we regard it, or from the position in which we find ourselves.”

“You are quite right.”

When we were again on our way the countess said,—­

“You must confess, sir, that you are a very fortunate man.”

“I do not deny it, my dear countess, but my happiness is due to the company I find myself in; if you were to expel me from yours, I should be miserable”