"Oh! yes, for I don't propose to return until I am thoroughly cured of my unhappy passion."
Adolphine put her handkerchief to her eyes.
"But it's not our fault," she stammered,--"if my sister doesn't love you--and yet, because she doesn't, we--must lose a friend."
"Dear Adolphine, such woe-begone friends as I am are hardly worth regretting."
"Do you think so? But suppose I like them so?"
"When I return, I shall probably find you married, too."
"No, no! I shall not be married, I--I am sure of it."
"What do you know about it? There are certain to be plenty of aspirants to your hand."
"I refused two, not long ago. They were both rich, but I am not like my sister; I want to love my husband!"
"Do you think, pray, that Fanny doesn't love hers?"
"Mon Dieu! I know nothing about it. I don't know what I am saying; I am so disappointed!"
At that moment, the door opened. Monsieur Gerbault appeared, with Monsieur Batonnin, who entered first.
"Pray excuse me, mademoiselle," he began; "I come to engage you for the first contra-dance that----"
The soft-spoken gentleman stopped abruptly, seeing a young man seated beside Adolphine; he rolled his eyes in the direction of the father, adding:
"Ah! mademoiselle has a visitor; we disturb her."
Monsieur Gerbault was no less surprised than he at finding a man in his daughter's room, and her with her eyes full of tears. But he soon recognized Gustave, who bowed respectfully to him and said:
"Forgive me, monsieur, for presuming to call upon your daughter; but I came to bid her good-bye, and I hoped to have the honor of paying my respects to you as well before leaving the house."
"Ah! is it you, Monsieur Gustave? I thought that you were in Spain?"
"I returned a week ago, monsieur; and to-night I start for Germany."
"Why, what's the matter, Adolphine? you look as if you had been crying. But I cannot conceive what reason you can have to be unhappy."
Monsieur Batonnin thought it advisable to intervene.
"It always saddens one to say good-bye to one's friends," he murmured. "Life is so short! When we part, we are never sure of meeting again."
"What do you say, monsieur?" cried Adolphine, with a pathetic glance at Gustave.
"I had no purpose to grieve you, mademoiselle, believe me," Batonnin made haste to reply; "on the contrary, I came to solicit the honor of dancing the first contra-dance with you; for you surely have not forgotten that madame your sister gives a ball this evening?"