humiliate her, and then Manon did my hair. Rose and the cousin then went
out, as if to make common cause together, but it was easy to see that
Rose was less angry with her sister than her cousin.

As Manon was finishing my toilette, M. de Valenglard came in. As soon as
we were alone, the officer, who was a man of honour and of much sense, in
spite of his belief in astrology and the occult sciences, said that he
thought me looking rather melancholy, and that if my sadness had any
connection with the fair Roman, he warned me to think no more of her,
unless I had resolved to ask her hand in marriage. I replied that to put
an end to all difficulties I had decided on leaving Grenoble in a few
days. We dined together and we then called on Madame Morin, with whom we
found her fair niece.

Madame Morin gave me a flattering welcome, and Mdlle. Roman received me
so graciously that I was emboldened to kiss her and place her on my knee.
The aunt laughed, the niece blushed, and then slipping into my hand a
little piece of paper made her escape. I read on the paper the year, day,
Hour, and minute of her birth, and guessed what she meant. She meant, I
thought, that I could do nothing with her before I had drawn up her
horoscope. My resolve was soon taken to profit by this circumstance, and
I told her that I would tell her whether I could oblige her or not next
day, if she would come to a ball I was giving. She looked at her aunt and
my invitation was accepted.

Just then the servant announced "The Russian Gentleman." I saw a
well-made man of about my own age, slightly marked with the small-pox,
and dressed as a traveller. He accosted Madame Morin with easy grace, was
welcomed heartily by her, spoke well, scarcely gave me a glance, and did
not say a word to the nieces. In the evening M. Morin came in, and the