The duchess's head-woman conducted Modeste and her father to their
apartment, where Francoise Cochet had already put everything in order,
and the choice elegance of which astounded the colonel, more
especially after he heard from Francoise that there were thirty other
apartments in the chateau decorated with the same taste.

"This is what I call a proper country-house," said Modeste.

"The Comte de La Bastie must build you one like it," replied her
father.

"Here, monsieur," said Modeste, giving the bit of paper to Ernest;
"carry it to our friend and put him out of his misery."

The word _our_ friend struck the young man's heart. He looked at Modeste
to see if there was anything real in the community of interests which
she seemed to admit, and she, understanding perfectly what his look
meant, added, "Come, go at once, your friend is waiting."

La Briere colored excessively, and left the room in a state of doubt
and anxiety less endurable than despair. The path that approaches
happiness is, to the true lover, like the narrow way which Catholic
poetry has called the entrance to Paradise,--expressing thus a dark
and gloomy passage, echoing with the last cries of earthly anguish.

An hour later this illustrious company were all assembled in the
salon; some were playing whist, others conversing; the women had their
embroideries in hand, and all were waiting the announcement of dinner.
The Prince de Cadignan was drawing Monsieur Mignon out upon China, and