Not far from the divan on which the heiress was seated were several charming young girls, all as pretty and much more elegantly dressed than the belles of Madame Herbaut's ball, but every eye was riveted upon Ernestine. "I shall not lack partners this evening," she thought, "nor shall I be asked out of pity. All those charming girls over there will doubtless be neglected on my account." While Mlle. de Beaumesnil was absorbed in these observations, recollections, and comparisons, Madame de Senneterre was telling Madame de la Rochaigue, in subdued tones, that, unfortunately, Gerald was so ill that it would be impossible for him to attend the ball, and it was therefore decided that Ernestine should be allowed to dance very little, and then only with carefully selected partners. To attain this end, Madame de la Rochaigue said to Ernestine: "My darling child, you can judge of the sensation you are creating in spite of the unheard-of simplicity of your toilet. My predictions are more than realised, you see. You are sure to be overwhelmed with invitations to dance, but as it would never do for you to dance with everybody, we will manage in this way. When I think it advisable for you to accept an invitation, I will open my fan; if, on the contrary, I keep it closed, you will decline on the plea that you are dancing very little, and that you have made too many engagements already." Madame de la Rochaigue had scarcely addressed this remark to Ernestine before quite a number of young people began to take their places for a quadrille. Several young men who were dying to invite Mlle. de Beaumesnil hesitated a little, rightly thinking that it was hardly the thing to ask her the minute she entered the ball-room; but M. de Macreuse, being either less scrupulous or more daring, did not hesitate a second, but, making his way swiftly through the crowd, begged Ernestine to do him the honour to dance the quadrille that was then forming, with him. Madame de Senneterre, positively stupefied by what she called such unheard-of audacity on M. de Macreuse's part, turned to hastily implore Madame de la Rochaigue to give the signal for a refusal, but it was too late. Mlle. de Beaumesnil, anxious to find herself virtually alone with M. de Macreuse as soon as possible, promptly accepted the invitation, without waiting to note the movements of Madame de la Rochaigue's fan, and, to that lady's great astonishment, immediately rose, accepted the pious young man's arm, and walked away. "That scoundrel's insolence is really unbearable!" exclaimed the duchess, wrathfully. But checking herself suddenly, she exclaimed in an entirely different tone: "Why, there he is now!" "Who?" "Gerald." "How fortunate! Where do you see him, my dear duchess?" "Over there by the window. Poor boy, how pale he looks!" added the duchess, feelingly. "How brave it was in him to come! We are saved!"