"There are no friends where a lovely woman is concerned! Besides, Léodgard is becoming very unamiable of late--you must agree to that." "Why, he is married, poor dear! and that is quite enough to change a man's expression!" "Oh! little he cares for all that! Moreover, you are well aware that, although he is married, he lives absolutely as if he were a bachelor! But, I say again, he is no longer the roué, the jovial scapegrace, of the old days; one would say that he had grown fifteen years older; his features are altered, his face is always careworn or gloomy, he has forgotten how to laugh and drink; he must also have forgotten how to love!" "Ah! do you think so? You may be mistaken. Léodgard always was of a fantastic humor." "I have known him only as a man who was always laughing and singing!--Give me some hope, Camilla." "Well! we shall see. The night is young yet. But here are more people coming; I must go to receive them." The young marquis left Camilla, but he deemed himself sure of his triumph, and his face expressed his delight. Flavia went to her friend a moment later and whispered: "So it is the fascinating Sénange whom you have chosen for your victim?" "Why not he as well as another?" "Rather he, for he is very agreeable, and it would be a pity if anything should happen to him!" "Nothing will happen to him. See how indifferent Léodgard is to me! He passed us while I was on the marquis's arm, and did not even notice us!" "Oh! do not torment yourself!--Think of nothing but your fête--it is simply delicious! There are great numbers of very attractive gentlemen here; you expect nobody else, I suppose?" "I believe that everybody has come.--Oh, yes! I did also invite--but I suspected that it would be useless; he will not come." "Who is it?" "Do you remember that gentleman in black, whom we tried in vain to rouse one night, at a fête given by Léodgard?" "The Sire de Jarnonville, was it not?" "Precisely." "Oh! what a pity that he is not here! I considered him very original. Why should he not come?" "Because for some time past he has not been seen at any festivity; he no longer drinks, no longer gambles, no longer fights, even! In short, he is a lost man, so far as his friends are concerned! That is why I feel sure that he will not come." At that moment a servant appeared at the door of the salon and announced: "The Sire de Jarnonville!" "Well, this is strange!" cried Flavia; "at the very moment when we despaired of seeing him!" "He confers a great favor on me! And I am proud of it, I assure you!"