AN HONEST CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. Mlle. de Beaumesnil, on reentering the ball-room, also noticed Gerald de Senneterre standing near one of the doorways. He was very pale, and looked extremely sad. The sight of him reminded Ernestine of her friend's despair, and she asked herself why Gerald, in spite of his love for Herminie and his desire to marry her, had come to this ball where a meeting with her, Ernestine, had been arranged by Madame de la Rochaigue. As she conducted the richest heiress in France back to her seat, Madame de la Senneterre said to her, with the utmost affability: "Mademoiselle, I am deputised to ask a favour of you in behalf of my son." "What is it, madame?" "He begs that you will give him the next quadrille, though he is not dancing this evening, for he has been, and is still, quite indisposed, so much so, in fact, that it required almost superhuman courage on his part to come at all. But he hoped to have the honour of meeting you here, mademoiselle, and such a hope as that works wonders." "But if M. de Senneterre does not feel able to dance, madame, what is the use of my making an engagement with him?" "That is a secret which I will divulge when the crowds of young men that are going to besiege you with invitations to dance are disposed of. Merely remember that the next quadrille belongs to my son, that is, if you are so kind as to grant him the favour he asks." "With the greatest pleasure, madame." "Keep my seat for me, my dear," the duchess said to Madame de la Rochaigue, rising as she spoke, "I must go and tell Gerald." While awaiting M. de Senneterre's coming, Mlle. de Beaumesnil was also reflecting with all the satisfaction of a truly honest heart that M. de Macreuse had not deserved her distrust. The more she reflected on the subject, the more the young man's conduct pleased her by reason of its very rudeness. In fact, his austere frankness seemed to her almost as noble as the sentiment she fancied she had discerned in Olivier's breast, when he gave her such a peculiar but meaning look on so unexpectedly hearing that he had been made an officer. "They are both noble men," she said to herself. But Mlle. de Beaumesnil was not allowed to enjoy these pleasant and consoling thoughts long, for she had scarcely seated herself before she was besieged with invitations to dance, as Madame de Senneterre had predicted. Resolved to observe and judge for herself, as much as possible, the heiress accepted quite a number of these invitations, among them one from M. de Mornand. Eager to discover M. de Senneterre's intentions, and to ascertain why he had engaged her for a quadrille if he did not feel able to dance, Ernestine awaited the time for Gerald's approach with no little interest and curiosity. At last she saw him leave his place, after exchanging a few words with M. de Maillefort, whom Ernestine had not seen since she met him so unexpectedly at Herminie's home.