put himself on the roll of the army, whence a promising young noble
volunteer was not likely to be rejected.

My husband insisted that he should write to ask the pardon of his
grandfather, and on that condition engaged to introduce him to the
Duke and to the lieutenant-colonel of his regiment. M. de Bellaise
then inquired anxiously after the health of our uncle, who, on the
death of his wife, had retired to his own estate at Nid de Merle,
close to the Chateau d'Aubepine. Of this the young gentleman could
tell little or nothing.

'Bah!' he said, adding what he thought was a brilliant new military
affirmation, unaware that it was as old as the days of the League.
'What know I? He is, as all old men are, full of complaints.'

Handsome, graceful, courteous, spirited as was this young Chevalier,
I could not like him, and I afterwards told my husband that I
wondered at his assisting him.

'My love,' he said, 'the Chateau d'Aubepine is dull enough to die of.
The poor fellow was eating out his own heart. He has followed his
instinct, and it is the only thing that can save him from worse
corruption.'

'His instinct of selfishness,' I said. 'His talk was all of glory,
but it was of his own glory, not his duty nor the good of his
country. He seems to me to have absolutely no heart!'

'Do not be hard on him; remember how he has been brought up.'