"Gaston, my dear friend, pray speak,—speak quickly!" Maurice besought.
"I wi—is—ish I could! That's just what I wa—an—ant to do! But it's not so easy, you bewil—il—ilder me so with questions. But the time has come when you must know that she has the hon—on—onor—the honor—the honor to be"—
"Go on, go on!" urged Maurice.
"I wish I could! It's not so easy to expla—plai—plain."
The rustling of a silk dress made him turn. The Marchioness de Fleury, in the most captivating spring attire, stood before them.
"Ah! here is Madame de Fleury, and she will tell you herself better than I can," said M. de Bois, apparently much relieved.
The marchioness saluted her guests with excessive cordiality, softly murmured her gratification at their visit, and added apologetically,—
"I must entreat your pardon for allowing you to wait; it was not in my power to be more punctual; a terrible accident—the first of the kind which has ever occurred to me—is my excuse. Do not imagine, my dear viscount," turning to Maurice with a fascinating smile, "that I had forgotten my appointment; but, at the Russian embassy, yesterday, I was prevailed upon to promise that I would be present at the senate to-day to hear the speech of a Vermont orator, a sort of Orson Demosthenes, who has gained great renown by his rude but stirring eloquence. We ladies have been promised admission (which is now and then granted) to the floor of the house, instead of being crammed into the close galleries. It will be a brilliant occasion. I invited the Countess Orlowski to accompany me. If all had gone well I should have been ready to receive your visit before she came."
The brow of the countess smoothed a little as she answered, "I felt confident, madame, that there must have been some explanation."
"Ah! I fear you are displeased with me," resumed Madame de Fleury, playfully. "But I will earn my pardon. You will be compelled to forgive me; M. de Fleury meets me at the capitol, and I will deliver this letter of the count's into his hand, and make him promise, blindfold, to consent to any request that it may contain."