‘Has anything happened to annoy you?’ said I hurriedly. ‘Why are you going?’ ‘I can bear it no longer!’ cried she, as she drew her veil down and hastened forward, and without speaking another word, continued her way towards the hotel. On reaching her apartments, she burst into a torrent of tears, and sobbed most violently. ‘What is it?’ said I, having followed her, maddened by the sight of such sorrow. ‘For heaven’s sake tell me! Has any one dared----’ ‘No, no,’ replied she, wiping the tears away with her handkerchief, ‘nothing of the kind. It is the state of doubt, of trying, harassing uncertainty I am reduced to here, which is breaking my heart. Don’t you see that whenever I appear in public, by the air of insufferable impudence of the men, and the still more insulting looks of the women, how they dare to think of me? I have borne it as well as I was able hitherto; I can do so no longer.’ ‘What!’ cried I impetuously, ‘and shall one dare to----’ ‘The world will always dare what may be dared in safety,’ interrupted she, laying her hand on my arm. ‘They know that you could not make a quarrel on my account without compromising my honour; and such an occasion to trample on a poor weak woman could not be lost. Well, well; Gustav may write to-morrow or next day. A little more patience; and it is the only cure for these evils.’ There was a tone of angelic sweetness in her voice as she spoke these words of resignation, and never did she seem more lovely in my eyes. ‘Now, then, as I shall not go to the opera, what shall we do to pass the time? You are tired--I know you are--of Polish melodies and German ballads. Well, well; then I am. I have told you that we Poles are as great gamblers as yourselves. What say you to a game at piquet?’ ‘By all means,’ said I, delighted at the prospect of anything to while away the hours of her sorrowing. ‘Then you must teach me,’ rejoined she, laughing, ‘for I don’t know it. I’m wretchedly stupid about all these things, and never could learn any game but _écarté_.’ ‘Then écarté be it,’ said I; and in a few minutes more I had arranged the little table, and down we sat to our party. ‘There,’ said she, laughing, and throwing her purse on the table, ‘I can only afford to lose so much; but you may win all that if you’re fortunate.’ A rouleau of louis escaped at the instant, and fell about the table. ‘Agreed,’ said I, indulging the quiz. ‘I am an inveterate gambler, and always play high. What shall be our stakes?’ ‘Fifty, I suppose,’ said she, still laughing: ‘we can increase our bets afterwards.’ After some little badinage, we each placed a double louis-d’or on the board, and began. For a while the game employed our attention; but gradually we fell into conversation, the cards gradually dropped listlessly from our hands, the tricks remained unclaimed, and we could never decide whose turn it was to deal. ‘This wearies you, I see,’ said she; ‘perhaps you’d like to stop?’