"Mme Delisle," said the Princess Menzikoff, who unperceived had come round to her, "allow me to introduce you to my friend Alfred de Rougement. I must not call him count, he being what we call a democrat with a clean face and white kid-gloves." "The princess is always satirical," replied M. de Rougement smiling; "and my harmless opposition to the government now in power, and which she honors with her patronage; is all her ground for so terrible an announcement." Mme Delisle and Geraldine both started and colored, and when Alfred de Rougement proposed for the next dance, was accepted, though next minute the mother would gladly have found any excuse to have prevented her daughter from dancing. Alfred de Rougement was the very "bad man" whom she had the instant before been denouncing. But it was now too late. From that evening Geraldine never went to a ball without meeting Alfred. She received many invitations from most unexpected quarters, but as surely as she went she found her new admirer, who invited her to dance as often as he could without breaking the rules of etiquette. And yet he rarely spoke; the dance once over, he brought her back to her mother's side, and left her without saying a word, coming back when his turn came again with clockwork regularity. In their drives Mme Delisle and Geraldine were always sure to meet him. Scarcely was the carriage rolling up the Champs Elysées before he was on horseback within sight. He merely bowed as he passed, however, keeping constantly in sight without endeavoring to join them. One evening, though invited to an early soirée and to a late ball, during dinner they changed their mind, and decided on going to the Opera at the very opening, to hear some favorite music which Geraldine very much admired. They had not yet risen from dessert when a note came from Alfred de Rougement, offering them his box, one of the best in the house! "Why he is a regular Monte Christo," cried Mme Delisle impatiently. "How can he know our movements so well?" "He must have bribed some one of the servants," replied Geraldine; "we talked just now of where we were going before they left the room." "But what does he mean?" said Mme Delisle. "Is he going to give up his enmity to marriage, and propose for you!" "I don't know, mamma," exclaimed the daughter, coloring very much; "but he may spare himself the trouble." "Geraldine--Geraldine! you will always then make me unhappy!" said her mother, shaking her head. "But you can not want me to marry Alfred? You told me every thing against him yourself." "But if he is going to marry and be steady, I owe him an apology. But go and dress; you want to hear the overture."