amazing ease of mind came to the general&mdash;and even some ease of manner. He walked down the room with as much pleasurable excitement as he would have found in walking up to a battery vomiting death, fire, and smoke; then stood looking down with smiling eyes at the girl whose marriage with him (next week) had been so carefully arranged by the wise, the good, the admirable Leonie. </p> <p> &ldquo;Ah! mademoiselle,&rdquo; he said, in a tone of courtly regret, &ldquo;if only I could be certain that you did not come here this morning, two miles, running all the way, merely from affection for your mother!&rdquo; </p> <p> He waited for an answer imperturbable but inwardly elated. It came in a demure murmur, eyelashes lowered with fascinating effect. &ldquo;You must not be mechant as well as mad.&rdquo; </p> <p> And then General D&rsquo;Hubert made an aggressive movement towards the divan which nothing could check. That piece of furniture was not exactly in the line of the open door. But Madame Leonie, coming back wrapped up in a light cloak and carrying a lace shawl on her arm for Adele to hide her incriminating hair under, had a swift impression of her brother getting up from his knees. </p> <p> &ldquo;Come along, my dear child,&rdquo; she cried from the doorway. </p> <p> The general, now himself again in the fullest sense, showed the readiness of a resourceful cavalry officer and the peremptoriness of a leader of men. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t expect her to walk to the carriage,&rdquo; he said, indignantly. &ldquo;She isn&rsquo;t fit. I shall carry her downstairs.&rdquo; </p> <p> This he did slowly, followed by his awed and respectful sister; but he rushed back like a whirlwind to wash off all the signs of the night of anguish and the morning of war, and to put on the festive garments of a conqueror before hurrying over to the other house. Had it not been for that, General D &lsquo;Hubert felt capable of mounting a horse and pursuing his late adversary in order simply to embrace him from excess of happiness. &ldquo;I owe it all to this stupid brute,&rdquo; he thought. &ldquo;He has made plain in a morning what might have taken me years to find out&mdash;for I am a timid fool. No self-confidence whatever. Perfect coward. And the Chevalier! Delightful old man!&rdquo; General D&rsquo;Hubert longed to embrace him also. </p> <p> The Chevalier was in bed. For several days he was very unwell. The men of the Empire and the post-revolution young ladies were too much for him. He got up the day before the wedding, and, being curious by nature, took his niece aside for a quiet talk. He advised her to find out from her husband