"Give me a cloak," interrupted her mistress, "the night is chilly." "Has madame given her orders for the twentieth of the month?" went on the persistent maid. "What orders?" "Has madame forgotten that her marriage takes place a week from to-day?" "What! a week from to-day?--so soon!" "Madame fixed the date for May 20, and this is May 12--" "If I said the twentieth, I suppose it must be on the twentieth--give me my fan." The maid brought a collection of magnificent fans and placed them before her mistress to allow her to make a choice. "How singular," murmured the countess, half to herself, as she picked out a veritable Watteau from the rich collection; "I am young and free, and abhor constraint, yet I have chosen a master." "A master!" exclaimed Katinka. "Why, the duke is so good and kind, madame! You will make whatever you wish of him." "I shall never make an agreeable man of him; and yet, I shall marry him. Ah! my good aunt, your advice may cause me to commit a great folly," she added, half laughing, half serious, as she gazed mechanically at the mischievous little god of love on her fan. "I made a blind choice among men equal in rank and riches, all so mediocre and uninteresting that it mattered not which I chose. This was the motive of my preference for M. de Riancourt, Katinka. Besides, although marriage has its inconveniences, widowhood has still greater ones. So, it is the better to marry, after all; it saves the trouble of wondering what we shall do." Having thus summarily settled this question, Countess Zomaloff proceeded to the drawing-room, where she found her aunt and the duke awaiting her. Princess Wileska was a tall, distingué woman, with powdered hair and imposing presence, who presented a striking contrast to the meagre personage engaged in conversation with her. The Duke de Riancourt was a small, nervous man of thirty years or thereabouts, with a sanctimonious, unctuous mien, shifting eyes and long, smooth hair, carefully parted near the middle of the forehead, and a rigidity of movement that showed great empire over himself. As the countess entered, he advanced toward her slowly, bowed low and raised her pretty hand to his lips with respectful courtesy; then, straightening himself up, he gazed at her for a moment as if dazzled, and cried, admiringly: "Ah! countess, I have never seen these diamonds! I don't believe you could find their equal anywhere. Heavens! how beautiful, how magnificent they are!" "Really, my dear duke," rejoined the countess, with well feigned embarrassment, "I am much confused--that is, for the jeweler who sold them to me--one could never be more gallant than you; and since these diamonds cause you so much tender emotion, inspire such gracious compliments, such ingenious flattery, I can do no less than confide to you the charming name of the bewitching lapidary--his name is _Ezechiel Rabotautencraff_, and he resides in Frankfort."