“How will you amuse yourself alone, madame?” said Paz, assuming a careless air.

“Are not you going to keep me company?”

“Excuse me for leaving you.”

“What do you mean? Where are you going?”

The thought of a heroic falsehood had come into his head.

“I—I am going to the Circus in the Champs Elysees; it opens to-night, and I can’t miss it.”

“Why not?” said Clementine, questioning him by a look that was half-anger.

“Must I tell you why?” he said, coloring; “must I confide to you what I hide from Adam, who thinks my only love is Poland.”

“Ah! a secret in our noble captain?”

“A disgraceful one—which you will perhaps understand, and pity.”