Mrs. Daintry was silent a moment. "Florimond, is it true?" she said, presently.
"Is what true? I don't see where you want to come out?"
"Is it true that that girl has fixed her affections—" and Mrs. Daintry's voice dropped.
"Upon me, ma mère? I don't say it 's true, but I say it 's possible. You ask me, and I can only answer you. I am not swaggering, I am simply giving you decent satisfaction. You would n't have me think it impossible that a woman should fall in love with me? You know what women are, and how there is nothing, in that way, too queer for them to do."
Mrs. Daintry, in spite of the knowledge of her sex that she might be supposed to possess, was not prepared to rank herself on the side of this axiom. "I wished to warn you," she simply said; "do be very careful."
"Yes, I'll be careful; but I can't give up the house."
"There are other houses, Florimond."
"Yes, but there is a special charm there."
"I would rather you should return to Paris than do any harm."
"Oh, I sha' n't do any harm; don't worry, ma mère," said Florimond.
It was a relief to Mrs. Daintry to have spoken, and she endeavored not to worry. It was doubtless this effort that, for the rest of the winter, gave her
