A little tame wolf also followed her like a dog, but was held in awe and tyrannized over by Monsieur de Beuvre's favorite spaniel, a playful young beast, who showed no aversion for his suspicious companion, but rolled him over and snapped at him with the superb indifference of a child of noble birth deigning to play with a serf.
D'Alvimar, on the point of offering his arm to the fair Lauriane, paused as he saw Monsieur de Bois-Doré approach her, apparently with the same purpose.
But the courtly marquis also stepped back.
"It is your right," he said; "a guest like yourself should take precedence of friends; but pray appreciate the sacrifice I make to you."
"I do appreciate it fully," replied D'Alvimar, as Lauriane placed her little hand lightly on his arm; "and of all your kindnesses to me, I value this most."
"I am rejoiced to see," replied Bois-Doré, walking at Madame de Beuvre's left hand, "that you understand French gallantry as did his late majesty, our Henri, of blessed memory."
"I trust that I have a better understanding of it than he, by your leave."
"Oh! that is much to claim!"
"We Spaniards understand it differently, at all events. We believe that a faithful attachment to a single woman is preferable to unmeaning gallantry toward all."
"Oho! in that case, my dear count—you are a count, are you not, or a duke?—I beg your pardon, but you are a Spanish grandee, I know that, I can see it.—So you believe in the perfect loyalty of romance? There is nothing nobler, my dear guest, nothing nobler, on my word!"