the sound of the music. She danced like a little fairy, too,
with pure delight in the mere motion, was never tired, and
rarely sat down; for Mademoiselle, who generally held herself
rather aloof from strangers, would be pleased on these
occasions to put on a little winning graciousness, giving her
hand with the air of a small princess to any one soliciting
the honour of a dance; and she was seldom without some tall
partner, attracted by her _gentillesse_ and naïve prattle--a
moustached Austrian or Prussian officer, perhaps, in white or
blue uniform, or one of her counts or barons, with a bit of
ribbon dangling from his button-hole; or, if all else failed,
there was always her father, who was ever ready to indulge her
in any of her fancies, and never resisted her coaxing pleading
for one more dance.

These were the evenings; for the days there were pleasures
enough too, though of a simpler kind, and more profitable,
perhaps, for our poor little Madelon, in her gay unconscious
dance through that mad Vanity Fair, innocent though it was for
her as yet.

Except on some special emergency, M. Linders rarely went to
the gambling tables during the day. He had a theory that
daylight was prejudicial to his prosperity, and that it was
only at night that he could play there with any fair chance of
success; but he not unfrequently had other business of a
similar nature on hand to occupy his mornings and afternoons;
and when he was engaged or absent, Madelon, with the happy
adaptability of a solitary child, had no difficulty in amusing
herself alone with her toys, and picture-books, and dolls. At