When he had proposed that his sister should ask his new friend, this English widow he had met at Lacville, to luncheon--nay more, when he had asked Marie-Anne to lend Mrs. Bailey a riding habit, and to arrange that one of the Duc's horses should come over every morning in order that he and Mrs. Bailey might ride together--the kind Duchesse had at once assented, almost too eagerly, to his requests. And she had asked her brother no tiresome, indiscreet questions as to his relations with the young Englishwoman,--whether, for instance, he was really fond of Sylvia, whether it was conceivably possible that he was thinking of marrying her? And, truth to tell, Paul de Virieu would have found it very difficult to give an honest answer to the question. He was in a strange, debatable state of mind about Sylvia--beautiful, simple, unsophisticated Sylvia Bailey. He told himself, and that very often, that the young Englishwoman, with her absurd, touching lack of worldly knowledge, had no business to be living in such a place as Lacville, wasting her money at the Baccarat tables, and knowing such queer people as were--well, yes, even Anna Wolsky was queer--Madame Wolsky and the Wachners! But if Sylvia Bailey had no business to be at Lacville, he, Paul de Virieu, had no business to be flirting with her as he was doing--for though Sylvia was honestly unaware of the fact, the Count was carrying on what he well knew to be a very agreeable flirtation with the lady he called in his own mind his "_petite amie Anglaise_," and very much he was enjoying the experience--when his conscience allowed him to enjoy it. Till the last few weeks Paul de Virieu had supposed himself to have come to that time of life when a man can no longer feel the delicious tremors of love. Now no man, least of all a Frenchman, likes to feel that this time has come, and it was inexpressibly delightful to him to know that he had been mistaken--that he could still enjoy the most absorbing and enchanting sensation vouchsafed to poor humanity. He was in love! In love for the first time for many years, and with a sweet, happy-natured woman, who became more intimately dear to him every moment that went by. Indeed, he knew that the real reason why he had felt so depressed last night and even this morning was because he was parted from Sylvia. But where was it all to end? True, he had told Mrs. Bailey the truth about himself very early in their acquaintance--in fact, amazingly soon, and he had been prompted to do so by a feeling which defied analysis. But still, did Sylvia, even now, realise what that truth was? Did she in the least understand what it meant for a man to be bound and gagged, as he was bound and gagged, lashed to the chariot of the Goddess of Chance? No, of course she did not realise it--how could such a woman as was Sylvia Bailey possibly do so?