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stranger went up to the pretty dancer； and leaning over； said in a
gentle but commanding tone：
〃Clara； my child； do not dance any more。〃
Clara made a little pouting face； bent her head； and finally smiled。
When the dance was over； the young man wrapped her in a cashmere shawl
with a lover's care； and seated her in a place sheltered from the
wind。 Very soon Mademoiselle de Fontaine； seeing them rise and walk
round the place as if preparing to leave； found means to follow them
under pretence of admiring the views from the garden。 Her brother lent
himself with malicious good…humor to the divagations of her rather
eccentric wanderings。 Emilie then saw the attractive couple get into
an elegant tilbury； by which stood a mounted groom in livery。 At the
moment when； from his high seat； the young man was drawing the reins
even； she caught a glance from his eye such as a man casts aimlessly
at the crowd； and then she enjoyed the feeble satisfaction of seeing
him turn his head to look at her。 The young lady did the same。 Was it
from jealousy？
〃I imagine you have now seen enough of the garden；〃 said her brother。
〃We may go back to the dancing。〃
〃I am ready；〃 said she。 〃Do you think the girl can be a relation of
Lady Dudley's？〃
〃Lady Dudley may have some male relation staying with her；〃 said the
Baron de Fontaine； 〃but a young girl！No！〃
Next day Mademoiselle de Fontaine expressed a wish to take a ride。
Then she gradually accustomed her old uncle and her brothers to
escorting her in very early rides； excellent； she declared for her
health。 She had a particular fancy for the environs of the hamlet
where Lady Dudley was living。 Notwithstanding her cavalry manoeuvres；
she did not meet the stranger so soon as the eager search she pursued
might have allowed her to hope。 She went several times to the 〃Bal de
Sceaux〃 without seeing the young Englishman who had dropped from the
skies to pervade and beautify her dreams。 Though nothing spurs on a
young girl's infant passion so effectually as an obstacle； there was a
time when Mademoiselle de Fontaine was on the point of giving up her
strange and secret search； almost despairing of the success of an
enterprise whose singularity may give some idea of the boldness of her
temper。 In point of fact； she might have wandered long about the
village of Chatenay without meeting her Unknown。 The fair Clarasince
that was the name Emilie had overheardwas not English； and the
stranger who escorted her did not dwell among the flowery and fragrant
bowers of Chatenay。
One evening Emilie； out riding with her uncle； who； during the fine
weather； had gained a fairly long truce from the gout； met Lady
Dudley。 The distinguished foreigner had with her in her open carriage
Monsieur Vandenesse。 Emilie recognized the handsome couple； and her
suppositions were at once dissipated like a dream。 Annoyed； as any
woman must be whose expectations are frustrated； she touched up her
horse so suddenly that her uncle had the greatest difficulty in
following her； she had set off at such a pace。
〃I am too old； it would seem； to understand these youthful spirits；〃
said the old sailor to himself as he put his horse to a canter； 〃or
perhaps young people are not what they used to be。 But what ails my
niece？ Now she is walking at a foot…pace like a gendarme on patrol in
the Paris streets。 One might fancy she wanted to outflank that worthy
man； who looks to me like an author dreaming over his poetry； for he
has； I think； a notebook in his hand。 My word； I am a great simpleton！
Is not that the very young man we are in search of！〃
At this idea the old admiral moderated his horse's pace so as to
follow his niece without making any noise。 He had played too many
pranks in the years 1771 and soon after； a time of our history when
gallantry was held in honor； not to guess at once that by the merest
chance Emilie had met the Unknown of the Sceaux gardens。 In spite of
the film which age had drawn over his gray eyes； the Comte de
Kergarouet could recognize the signs of extreme agitation in his
niece； under the unmoved expression she tried to give to her features。
The girl's piercing eyes were fixed in a sort of dull amazement on the
stranger； who quietly walked on in front of her。
〃Ay； that's it；〃 thought the sailor。 〃She is following him as a pirate
follows a merchantman。 Then； when she has lost sight of him； she will
be in despair at not knowing who it is she is in love with； and
whether he is a marquis or a shopkeeper。 Really these young heads need
an old fogy like me always by their side 。 。 。〃
He unexpectedly spurred his horse in such a way as to make his niece's
bolt； and rode so hastily between her and the young man on foot that
he obliged him to fall back on to the grassy bank which rose from the
roadside。 Then； abruptly drawing up； the Count exclaimed：
〃Couldn't you get out of the way？〃
〃I beg your pardon； monsieur。 But I did not know that it lay with me
to apologize to you because you almost rode me down。〃
〃There； enough of that； my good fellow！〃 replied the sailor harshly；
in a sneering tone that was nothing less than insulting。 At the same
time the Count raised his hunting…crop as if to strike his horse； and
touched the young fellow's shoulder； saying； 〃A liberal citizen is a
reasoner； every reasoner should be prudent。〃
The young man went up the bankside as he heard the sarcasm； then he
crossed his arms； and said in an excited tone of voice； 〃I cannot
suppose； monsieur； as I look at your white hairs； that you still amuse
yourself by provoking duels〃
〃White hairs！〃 cried the sailor； interrupting him。 〃You lie in your
throat。 They are only gray。〃
A quarrel thus begun had in a few seconds become so fierce that the
younger man forgot the moderation he had tried to preserve。 Just as
the Comte de Kergarouet saw his niece coming back to them with every
sign of the greatest uneasiness； he told his antagonist his name；
bidding him keep silence before the young lady entrusted to his care。
The stranger could not help smiling as he gave a visiting card to the
old man； desiring him to observe that he was living at a country…house
at Chevreuse； and； after pointing this out to him； he hurried away。
〃You very nearly damaged that poor young counter…jumper； my dear；〃
said the Count； advancing hastily to meet Emilie。 〃Do you not know how
to hold your horse in？And there you leave me to compromise my
dignity in order to screen your folly； whereas if you had but stopped；
one of your looks； or one of your pretty speechesone of those you
can make so prettily when you are not pertwould have set everything
right； even if you had broken his arm。〃
〃But； my dear uncle； it was your horse； not mine； that caused the
accident。 I really think you can no longer ride； you are not so good a
horseman as you were last year。But instead of talking nonsense〃
〃Nonsense； by Gad！ Is it nothing to be so impertinent to your uncle？〃
〃Ought we not to go on and inquire if the young man is hurt？ He is
limping； uncle； only look！〃
〃No； he is running； I rated him soundly。〃
〃Oh； yes； uncle； I know you there！〃
〃Stop；〃 said the Count； pulling Emilie's horse by the bridle； 〃I do
not see the necessity of making advances to some shopkeeper who is
only too lucky to have been thrown down by a charming young lady； or
the commander of La Belle…Poule。〃
〃Why do you think he is anything so common； my dear uncle？ He seems to
me to have very fine manners。〃
〃Every one has manners nowadays； my dear。〃
〃No； uncle； not every one has the air and style which come of the
habit of frequenting drawing…rooms； and I am ready to lay a bet with
you that the young man is of noble birth。〃
〃You had not long to study him。〃
〃No； but it is not the first time I have seen him。〃
〃Nor is it the first time you have looked for him；〃 replied the
admiral w