“What a woman!  Oh, what a woman!”

Daniel, who was himself greatly excited, and far too busy with his own thoughts to observe what was going on, did not notice the excitement of his friend; he continued quietly,—­

“Now you will understand my great curiosity.  In order to prevent the scandal of such a marriage, my friend’s family would do every thing in the world.  But how can you attack a woman of whose antecedents and mode of life nothing is known?”

“Yes, I understand,” said Brevan,—­“I understand.”

His features betrayed that he was making a great mental effort.  He remained for some time absorbed in his thoughts; and at last he said, as if coming to a decision,—­

“No, I do not see any way to prevent this marriage; none at all.”

“Still, from what you told me”—­

“What!”

“About the cupidity of this woman.”

“Well?”

“If she were offered a large sum, some eighty or a hundred thousand dollars?”

Maxime laughed out loud; but there was not the true ring in his laughter.

“You might offer her two hundred thousand, and she would laugh at you.  Do you think she would be fool enough to content herself with a fraction of a fortune, if she can have the whole, with a great name and a high position into the bargain?”

Daniel opened his lips to present another suggestion; but Maxime, laying aside his usual half-dreamy, mocking manner, said, as if roused by a matter of great personal interest,—­

“You do not understand me, my dear friend.  Miss Brandon is not one of those vulgar hawks, who, in broad daylight, seize upon a poor pigeon, pluck it alive, and cast it aside, still living, and bleeding all over.”

“Then, Maxime, she must be”—­

“Well, I tell you you misapprehend her.  Miss Brandon”—­

He stopped suddenly, and looking at Daniel with a glance with which a judge examines the features of a criminal, he added in an almost threatening voice,—­

“By telling you what little I know about her, Daniel, I give you the highest proof of confidence which one man can give to another.  I love you too dearly to exact your promise to be discreet.  If you ever mention my name in connection with this affair, if you ever let any one suspect that you learned what I am going to tell you from me, you will dishonor yourself.”

Daniel, deeply moved, seized his friend’s hand, and, pressing it most affectionately, said,—­

“Ah, you know Daniel Champcey is to be relied upon.”

Maxime knew it; for he continued,—­

“Miss Sarah Brandon is one of those female cosmopolitan adventurers, whom steam brings nowadays to us from all the four quarters of the world.  Like so many others, she, also, has come to Paris to spread her net, and catch her birds, But she is made of finer stuff than most of them, and more clever.  Her ambition soars higher; and she possesses a real genius for intrigues.  She means to have a fortune, and is willing to pay any price for it; but she is also desirous to be respected in the world.