[Illustration: _“Why were you so extravagant about bread?” asked Marsac, very cheerfully working away at the old screen._] THE SPRIGHTLY ROMANCE OF MARSAC BY MOLLY ELLIOT SEAWELL AUTHOR OF “CHILDREN OF DESTINY,” “A STRANGE SAD COMEDY,” “THROCKMORTON,” “LITTLE JARVIS,” ETC. Illustrated by GUSTAVE VERBEEK NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 1897 _Copyright, 1896_, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS. _Dramatic and all other rights reserved._ University Press: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE. NOTE. “The Sprightly Romance of Marsac” obtained the first prize of $3,000 for the best novelette in the _New York Herald_ competition in 1895. List of Illustrations PAGE _“Why were you so extravagant about bread?” asked Marsac, very cheerfully, working away at the old screen_ _Frontispiece_ _Madame Schmid was plainly in a rage_ 2 _Madame Schmid grew still redder in the face and shorter of breath_ 5 _It was easy enough to see who was the master mind_ 9 _Madame Fleury entered_ 17 “_Have you ever thought of marriage as a way out of your troubles?_” 25 _Marsac, advancing to Fontaine, whispered in his ear_ 37 _Marsac, taking his hand, led him to Madame Fleury_ 39 _With a few bold strokes the bull-fighter assumed the appearance of a hale old gentleman of sixty_ 48 _He fell over on his chair with amazement and chagrin_ 50 _The two young men tore open the box_ 53 _They hugged each other and began to dance wildly_ 56 _“Don’t speak of your fiancée in that disrespectful manner,” cried Marsac_ 65 _He opened it without a word and took out four bottles of champagne_ 67 _I saw these two poor creatures standing in front of a pastry-shop_ 68 _Marsac received them with as much kindness and respect as if they had been banker’s daughters_ 75 _Madame Schmid made a dash for Fontaine, whom she collared and dragged out_ 77 _“And now about the villa,” said the old brewer_ 83