"Seriously madam, you think?--"

"I think," interrupted the old lady laughingly, "with due respect to you,
that you will lose your principal merit in her eyes as soon as she sees
you submit to her yoke like all the rest."

"Really, madam, you present things to me under an entirely novel aspect.
It never occurred to me to attribute Madame de Palme's mischievous pranks
to a sentiment of which I might have reason to be proud."

"And you have been quite right," she resumed sharply; "there is, thank
heaven! nothing of the kind as yet; but it might have come and you are too
fair a man to desire it, with the views which I know you to entertain."

"I trust myself wholly to your direction, madam; I am going too fetch my
hat and gloves. The question is now, how Madame de Palme will receive my
somewhat tardy civility."

"She will receive it very well, if you offer it with good grace."

"As to that, madam, I shall offer it with all the good grace I can
command."

On this assurance, Madame de Malouet held out her hand, which I kissed
with profound respect but rather slim gratitude.

When I entered the parlor, booted and spurred, Madame de Palme was alone
there; deeply seated in an arm-chair, buried under her skirts, she was
putting the finishing touches to her hat. She raised and dropped rapidly