"Who is it?" queried Monsieur Gerbault. "Someone who is very agreeable--just back from Italy. What! can't you guess? Monsieur le Comte de la Beriniere." "Ah! the dear count! Has he returned?" "Only yesterday. He instantly asked me for all the news. When I told him that Madame Monleard was a widow, he was tremendously surprised; he couldn't get over it." "Mon Dieu! how stupid that man is!" muttered Gustave, glancing at Fanny. Since the announcement of the Comte de la Beriniere's return, she seemed disturbed and preoccupied. In a few moments, she left her seat between her sister and Gustave, went to the window for a moment, as if to get a breath of air, and then, instead of returning to her former seat, sat down near the whist table. Adolphine followed her sister with her eyes, and did not lose a single one of her movements. Meanwhile, Gustave, seeing Fanny seat herself at a distance, drew nearer to Adolphine, and said: "Your sister, I see, wishes me to tell you of our delightful plans for the future; for I have had no chance to talk with you lately, dear Adolphine; I have been here several times, but have failed to find you." "Yes, I know it." "I think that you are not indifferent to what interests me, that you take pleasure in my happiness. You saw me when I was so unhappy! I am sure that you want to see me happy now." "Yes, of course I do. A love like yours well deserves to be reciprocated." Gustave began to lay before Adolphine all the plans he had formed for the future, when he should be her brother-in-law. Adolphine listened with only half an ear; she seemed much more interested in watching her sister, who pretended to take a deep interest in the game of whist; but soon the arrival of the Comte de la Beriniere caused a general movement. Everyone congratulated the traveller on the happy influence which the climate of Italy seemed to have had on his health. "Yes, I am very well indeed," said the count, who, after bowing coldly to Adolphine, eagerly approached her sister. "Italy's a very beautiful country, but it isn't equal to France, especially Paris! I tell you, there is nothing like our Parisian women; and what I look at first of all, in any country, is the women." "Still, you have stayed away a long while, monsieur le comte," said the widow, motioning to Monsieur de la Beriniere to take a seat by her side, the gesture being accompanied by her most charming smile. The count hastened to obey; and said to her, almost in a whisper: "I have, in truth, been absent more than a year; and, meanwhile, certain things have happened which it was impossible to foresee. Permit me to offer you my condolence on your widowhood." "Yes, I am a widow, I have become free again; it is more than ten months since it happened. Truly, it could hardly have been anticipated! You must find me greatly changed, do you not? I have grown old and thin--and then, this costume is so dismal!"