"My dear friend," said he to Caroline,--he sometimes allowed himself to use this expression in a tone of easy good-nature,--"you are very sure of Jacquet now, are you not?" "Perfectly sure." "He is not at all inclined to shy, and is not hard-bitted?" "Not at all." "Very well, if you are willing, I will leave you to yourself, and send André in my place." "Do so, do so by all means!" replied Caroline; quickly; "or don't send any one at all. I will go around the park once more, and then I will take the animal back to André. Really, I shall enjoy cantering alone, and it pains me to see you so frightfully jolted." "O, it is not that," responded the Duke, resolved upon a bold stroke. "I'm not yet so old as to be afraid of a hard horse; but I remember that Madame d'Arglade is coming to-night." "Not to-night; to-morrow." "That is not certain," said the Duke, watching for the effect his words might produce. "O, then, perhaps, you are better informed than I am." "Perhaps, my dear friend! Madame d'Arglade--In fact, it is sufficient--" "Ah! indeed?" replied Caroline, laughing. "I did not know. Go quickly, then; I shall escape, and--a thousand thanks again for your kindness." She was about to start her horse, but the Duke detained her. "What I am doing now is not polite, to say the least of it." "It is better than polite; it is very good of you." "O, then you have had enough of my company?" "That is not what I mean. I say that your impoliteness is a proof of your confidence in me, and that I take it as such." "Do you think she is pretty,--Madame d'Arglade, I mean?" "Very pretty." "How old is she, precisely?" "Very nearly my own age. We were together at the convent." "I know it. Were you great friends?" "No, not exactly; but she has shown much interest in me since my misfortunes." "Yes, it was she who was the means of bringing you here. Why did you detest each other at the convent?" "We did not detest each other; we were not very intimate,--that was all." "And now?" "Now she is kind to me, and consequently I like her." "Then you like people who are kind to you?" "Is not that natural?" "Then you like me a little, for it seems to me that I am not unkind to you myself?" "Certainly, you are excellent, and I like you very much." "Just hear how she says that! I love my nurse dearly, but I love to ride on my rocking-horse better still! Come, tell me, you don't mean to prejudice your little friend D'Arglade against me, do you?" "Prejudice her against you! There are some words in your vocabulary which do not get into mine." "Yes, that is true, I beg pardon. It is because--you see, she is suspicious--she may question you. You will not fail to tell her that I have never made love to you?" "O, as to that, count upon her knowing the truth," replied Caroline, starting. And the Duke heard her laugh as she rode off at full speed.