Josephine colored up and looked at him with a momentary surprise.  She said quietly, “Military men do give themselves some airs, but he is very amiable at bottom.  You must make a better acquaintance with him, and then he will reveal to you his nobler qualities.”—­“Oh!  I have no particular desire,” sneered unlucky Edouard.  Sweet as Josephine was, this was too much for her:  she said nothing; but she quietly turned Edouard over to Aubertin, and joined Rose, and under cover of her had a sweet timid chat with her falsely accused.

This occupied the two so entirely that Edouard was neglected.  This hurt his foible, and seemed to be so unkind on the very first day of his return that he made his adieus to the baroness, and marched off in dudgeon unobserved.

Rose missed him first, but said nothing.

When Josephine saw he was gone, she uttered a little exclamation, and looked at Rose.  Rose put on a mien of haughty indifference, but the water was in her eyes.

Josephine looked sorrowful.

When they talked over everything together at night, she reproached herself.  “We behaved ill to poor Edouard:  we neglected him.”

“He is a little cross, ill-tempered fellow,” said Rose pettishly.

“Oh, no! no!”

“And as vain as a peacock.”

“Has he not some right to be vain in this house?”

“Yes,—­no.  I am very angry with him.  I won’t hear a word in his favor,” said Rose pouting:  then she gave his defender a kiss.  “Yes, dear,” said Josephine, answering the kiss, and ignoring the words, “he is a dear; and he is not cross, nor so very vain, poor boy! now don’t you see what it was?”

“No.”

“Yes, you do, you little cunning thing:  you are too shrewd not to see everything.”

“No, indeed, Josephine; do tell me, don’t keep me waiting:  I can’t bear that.”

“Well, then—­jealous!  A little.”

“Jealous?  Oh, what fun!  Of Camille?  Ha! ha!  Little goose!”

“And,” said Josephine very seriously, “I almost think he would be jealous of any one that occupied your attention.  I watched him more or less all the evening.”

“All the better.  I’ll torment my lord.”

“Heaven forbid you should be so cruel.”

“Oh!  I will not make him unhappy, but I’ll tease him a little; it is not in nature to abstain.”

This foible detected in her lover, Rose was very gay at the prospect of amusement it afforded her.

And I think I have many readers who at this moment are awaiting unmixed enjoyment and hilarity from the same source.

I wish them joy of their prospect.

Edouard called the next day:  he wore a gloomy air.  Rose met this with a particularly cheerful one; on this, Edouard’s face cleared up, and he was himself again; agreeable as this was, Rose felt a little disappointed.  “I am afraid he is not very jealous after all,” thought she.