"Reasons! reasons! and what may they be?"
"None in particular, but I have no wish to go into society."
De Brévannes amazed at this resistance vainly endeavoured to detect the cause. He was persuaded that the love of retirement was not the sole motive for this refusal, and, for a moment, he believed his wife jealous of the princess, and therefore replied, with a sort of kind air,—
"Be candid now, conceal nothing from me,—is there not a little jealousy in this?"
"Jealousy?"
"Yes; are you foolish enough to imagine that I am smitten by the princess?"
"No, I have no such idea, I assure you."
"What, then, can it be?" cried De Brévannes, giving way to his long-repressed impatience.
"Charles, be kind! be generous!"
"I am weary of being so, madame; and, as you have no regard for my entreaties, you shall obey my commands, and the day after to-morrow you will accompany me to Madame de Hansfeld's. Do you understand me now?"