Zebiline, vol 3 | Page 7

am taking my revenge for my defeat on the ice," he replied, clasping
her a little closer, in order to facilitate their movements.
"The prisoners you take must find it very difficult to escape from your
hands," she said, with a touch of malice.
"Does that mean that already you wish to reclaim your liberty?"
"Not yet--unless you are fatigued."
"Fatigued! I should like to go thus to the end of the world!"
"And I, too," said Zibeline, simply.
By common consent the other waltzers had stopped, as much for the
purpose of observing these two as for giving them more space, while
the wearied musicians scraped away as if it were a contest who should

move the faster, themselves or the audacious couple.
"What a pity!" again said the Duchess to her husband, whose sole
response was a shrug of his shoulders as he glanced at his brother-in-
law.
At the end of his strength, and with a streaming brow, the gypsy leader
lowered his bow, and the music ceased.
Henri de Prerolles, resuming his sang-froid, drew the hand of
Mademoiselle de Vermont through his arm, and escorted her to her
place among the other ladies.
"Bravo, General!" said Madame de Lisieux. "You have won your
decoration, I see," she added, indicating the rosebud which adorned his
buttonhole.
"What shall we call this new order, ladies?" asked Madame de Nointel
of the circle.
"The order of the Zibeline," Valentine replied, with a frank burst of
laughter.
"What?--do you know--" stammered the author of the nickname,
blushing up to her ears.
"Do not disturb yourself, Madame! The zibeline is a little animal which
is becoming more and more rare. They never have been found at all in
my country, which I regret," said Mademoiselle de Vermont graciously.
The hour was late, and the Duchess arose to depart. The Chevalier de
Sainte-Foy, exercising his function as a sort of chamberlain, went to
summon the domestics. Meanwhile Valentine spoke confidentially to
Henri.
"General," said she, "I wish to ask a favor of you."
"I am at your orders, Mademoiselle."

"I am delighted with the success of this little dinner," Valentine
continued, "and I wish to give another after Easter. My great desire is
to have Mademoiselle Gontier--with whom I should like to become
better acquainted--recite poetry to us after dinner. Would you have the
kindness to tell her of my desire?"
"I!" exclaimed the General, amazed at such a request.
"Yes, certainly. If you ask her, she will come all the more willingly."
"You forget that I am not in the diplomatic service, Mademoiselle."
"My request annoys you? Well, we will say no more about it," said
Zibeline. "I will charge Monsieur de Samoreau with the negotiations."
They rejoined the Duchess, Zibeline accompanying her to the vestibule,
always evincing toward her the same pretty air of deference.
The drive home was silent. The Duke and the Duchess had agreed not
to pronounce the name of Mademoiselle de Vermont before Henri, who
racked his brain without being able to guess what strange motive
prompted the young girl to wish to enter into closer relations with the
actress.
A letter from Eugenie was awaiting him. He read:
"Two weeks have elapsed since you have been to see me. I do not ask
whether you love me still, but I do ask you, in case you love another, to
tell me so frankly.
"ARIADNE."
"So I am summoned to the confessional, and am expected to accuse
myself of that which I dare not avow even to my own heart! Never!"
said Henri, crushing the note in his hand. "Besides, unless I deceive
myself, Ariadne has not been slow in seeking a consoling divinity!
Samoreau is at hand, it appears. He played the part of Plutus before;
now he will assume that of Bacchus," thought the recreant lover, in

order to smother his feeling of remorse.

CHAPTER XXII
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING
The life of General de Prerolles was uniformly regulated. He arose at
dawn, and worked until the arrival of his courier; then he mounted his
horse, attired in morning military costume.
After his ride, he visited the quartermaster-general of his division,
received the report of his chief of staff, and gave necessary orders. It
was at this place, and never at the General's own dwelling, that the
captains or subaltern officers presented themselves when they had
occasion to speak to him.
At midday he returned to breakfast at the Hotel de Montgeron where,
morning and evening, his plate was laid; and soon after this meal he
retired to his own quarters to work with his orderly, whose duty it was
to report to him regarding the numerous guns and pieces of heavy
ordnance which make the object of much going and coming in military
life.
After signing