"Oh!" exclaimed M. de Clagny, suddenly looking serene again; "I forgot that he has a love affair, and is so far gone that he fully intends to marry this lady-love; and, as you can imagine, his father is not delighted about it, by any means." And then, in an absent-minded way, he added, "I feel perfectly easy, as far as he is concerned!" "Easy!" exclaimed Madame de Bracieux in astonishment "Why, easy! you would not like Bijou to marry M. de Bernes, then? Why not?" "Well--she is so young," he stammered out, in a confused sort of way. "How do you mean, so young? She is quite old enough to marry; she will be twenty-two in November, Bijou!" "Well, then, Hubert is too young for her; he is only a lad!" "I should certainly prefer seeing her married to a man rather more settled down; but, if she should care for him, he is of good family, and is wealthy, why should she not marry him as well as any other?" "Do you really think that Bijou cares for him?" asked M. de Clagny anxiously. "I don't know anything about it at all," answered the marchioness, laughing; "but anyhow, what can that matter to you? I can understand that Jean or Henry should be disturbed in their minds--but you?" As he did not reply, she went on: "It's a case of the dog in the manger: he does not want the bone himself, but he does not want the others to have it either. That is just your case, my poor friend, for, I presume, you have no idea of marrying Bijou yourself?" He answered in a joking way, but there was a troubled look on his face. "Oh, as to me, it is an idea that I should like very much; but she would not; therefore it amounts to the same thing!" Bijou came up to them just at that moment, gliding along with her light step. She was followed by young Bernes, who looked vexed about something. "I cannot, really, mademoiselle," he was saying, "I assure you that I cannot get away from my friends that day." "Oh, yes, you can; mustn't he, grandmamma?" asked Denyse merrily, "mustn't M. de Bernes come to dinner here on the day of the paper-chase? He is to be the hare, and the start is to be from the 'Cinq-Tranchees'--it is only a mile from Bracieux at the farthest." Madame de Bracieux was examining the young officer with interest, and there was a kindly look in her eyes. "Why, certainly," she said, "he must come here to dinner; we shall all be so pleased." "You are very kind, madame, to invite me, but I was explaining to Mademoiselle de Courtaix that on that day, after the paper-chase, which the regiment is getting up for the benefit of the residents, I have promised faithfully to dine with several of my friends." And glancing, in spite of himself, at Bijou, he added, "And I regret it now, more than I can tell you!" Turning round on her high heels, Denyse glided off again to the other end of the long room, where she was greeted by Pierrot with reproachful words. "It was very mean of you to slope away from us like that, you know!" exclaimed the boy.