No better answer could have been given to the feeling which induced Mdlle. de Cardoville to place herself, as it were, under the protection of her mother.  From that moment, confident in Djalma, confident in herself, the young lady felt more at her ease, and the delicious sense of happiness replaced those exciting emotions, which had at first so violently agitated her.

Then, seating herself once more, she said to Djalma, as she pointed to the opposite chair:  “Pray take a seat, my dear cousin; and allow me to call you so, for there is too much ceremony in the word prince; and do you call me cousin also, for I find other names too grave.  Having settled this point, we can talk together like old friends.”

“Yes cousin,” answered Djalma, blushing.

“And, as frankness is proper between friends,” resumed Adrienne, “I have first to make you a reproach,” she added, with a half-smile.

The prince had remained standing, with his arm resting on the chimney piece, in an attitude full of grace and respect.

“Yes, cousin,” continued Adrienne, “a reproach, that you will perhaps forgive me for making.  I had expected you a little sooner.”

“Perhaps, cousin, you may blame me for having come so soon.”

“What do you mean?”

“At the moment when I left home, a man, whom I did not know, approached my carriage, and said to me, with such an air of sincerity that I believed him:  ’You are able to save the life of a person who has been a second father to you.  Marshal Simon is in great danger, and, to rescue him, you must follow me on the instant—­’”

“It was a snare,” cried Adrienne, hastily.  “Marshal Simon was here, scarcely an hour ago.”

“Indeed!” exclaimed Djalma, joyfully, and as if he had been relieved from a great weight.  “Then there will be nothing to sadden this happy day!”

“But, cousin,” resumed Adrienne, “how came you not to suspect this emissary?”

“Some words, which afterwards escaped from him, inspired me with doubts,” answered Djalma:  “but at first I followed him, fearing the marshal might be in danger—­for I know that he also has enemies.”

“Now that I reflect on it, you were quite right, cousin, for some new plot against the marshal was probable enough; and the least doubt was enough to induce you to go to him.”

“I did so—­even though you were waiting for me.”

“It was a generous sacrifice; and my esteem for you is increased by it, if it could be increased,” said Adrienne, with emotion.  “But what became of this man?”

“At my desire, he got into the carriage with me.  Anxious about the marshal, and in despair at seeing the time wasted, that I was to have passed with you, cousin, I pressed him with all sorts of questions.  Several times, he replied to me with embarrassment, and then the idea struck me that the whole might be a snare.  Remembering all that they had already attempted, to ruin me in your opinion, I immediately changed my course.  The vexation of the man who accompanied me then because so visible, that I ought to have had no doubt upon the subject.  Still, when I thought of Marshal Simon, I felt a kind of vague remorse, which you, cousin, have now happily set at rest.”