… This Age I grant (and grant with pride) Is varied, rich, eventful: But if you touch its weaker side, Deplorably resentful: Belaud it, and it takes your praise With air of calm conviction: Condemn it...

A gentleman was strolling down a side street in Paris, on his way back from the house of one Madame de Verchoureux. He walked mincingly, for the red heels of his shoes were very high. A long purple cl...

Shortly after noon on the following day Avon sent for his page. Léon came promptly, and knelt to kiss the Duke’s hand. Walker had obeyed his master’s commands implicitly, and in place of the shabby, g...

When Davenant returned to the house in the Rue St.-Honoré, he found that although Léon had long since come in, and was now in bed, his Grace was still out. Guessing that Avon had gone from Vassaud’s t...

For Léon the days passed swiftly, each one teeming with some new excitement. Never in his life had he seen such sights as now met his eyes. He was dazzled by the new life spread before him; from livin...

The Duke’s light town coach, with its four grey horses, stood at the door of his house shortly before six on the following evening. The horses champed at their bits and tossed their beautiful heads in...

When Davenant met his Grace at breakfast next morning he found that the Duke was in excellent spirits. He was more than usually urbane, and whenever his eye alighted on Léon he smiled, as if at some p...

The village of Bassincourt, which lay some six or seven miles to the west of Saumur, in Anjou, was a neat and compact place whose white houses were for the most part gathered about its hub, a square m...

A week after Avon’s departure for Saumur, Hugh Davenant sat in the library, endeavouring to amuse the very disconsolate Léon with a game of chess. “I would like to play cards, if you please, m’sieur,”...

Early in the next week Davenant left Paris for Lyons. On the same day Avon summoned his maître d’hôtel, Walker, to his presence, and informed him that he was leaving France on the morrow. Well accusto...

Lady Fanny Marling, reposing on a settee, found life monotonous. She pushed away the book of poems, over which she had been yawning, and started to play with one golden curl that had strayed over her ...

Lady Fanny found her husband in the library, standing before the fire and warming his hands. He was a medium-sized man, with regular features and steady grey eyes. He turned as she entered the room, a...

A fortnight later, when Léonie was practising a court curtsy before the mirror in her room, Fanny entered with the announcement that Avon had come at last. Léonie arose from her curtsy with more haste...

The Duke remained at Avon for over a month, during which time Léonie applied herself energetically to the task of becoming a lady. Madam Field’s ideal of this estate was luckily not Avon’s. He had no ...

When Avon left the country Léonie was at first disconsolate. Madam Field was not an exhilarating companion, as her mind ran on illness and death, and the forward ways of the younger generation. Fortun...

Rupert rode over to the Court the very next day and heralded his arrival by a prolonged peal on the doorbell, accompanied by several resounding knocks. Léonie was seated by the fire in the hall, and t...

The days sped past, and still the Duke did not come. Rupert and Léonie rode, fenced, and quarrelled together like two children, while, from afar, the Merivales watched, smiling. “My dear,” said his lo...

“Oh, parbleu!” Léonie said in disgust. “This Rupert he is always late, the vaurien!” “My dearest love,” Madam Field reproved her. “That expression! Indeed, it is not becoming in a young lady! I must b...

Madam Field was worried, for it was after six in the evening and neither Léonie nor Rupert had returned. Considerably flustered at length, Madam sent a messenger to Merivale to inquire whether the tru...

Léonie awoke, sighing. Nausea threatened to overwhelm her, and for a few minutes she lay with closed eyes, in semiconsciousness. By degrees she shook off the effects of the drug, and struggled up, a h...

The colour came flooding back to Léonie’s cheeks. “Monseigneur!” she gasped, and flew across the room towards him, laughing and crying at once. “Oh, Monseigneur, you have come, you have come!” She lan...

Mine host and hostess of the Black Bull at Le Dennier had never before entertained such quality at their humble inn. Madame sent a serving-man running hotfoot to her neighbour, Madame Tournoise, and p...

Monday came and went with no sign of Gaston or his charges. His Grace frowned, but Léonie danced with delight, and offered the suggestion that Madame Field had died of agitation. “It does not seem to ...

Lady Fanny partook of breakfast in bed next morning, and was sipping her hot chocolate when Léonie scratched on the door. My lady put up her hands to her pretty nightcap and patted her golden curls be...

They rested at Rouen over the weekend, and came to Paris on Tuesday. Walker awaited them in the hall of the Hôtel Avon, and not by the flicker of an eyelid did he betray that he recognised Léonie. All...

Lady Fanny stepped back to obtain a better view of her handiwork. “I cannot make up my mind,” she said. “Shall I put a ribbon in your hair, or⁠—no, I have it!⁠—a single white rose!” She picked one up ...

After the ball invitations came swiftly to the Hôtel Avon. More than one lady begged that Miladi Fanny would forgive the shortness of the notice and honour her on such-and-such a night, at ball, or ro...

And Paris began to talk, in whispers at first, then gradually louder, and more openly. Paris remembered an old, old scandal, and said that the English Duc had adopted a baseborn daughter of Saint-Vire...

The comment that Léonie was exciting in the Polite World reduced Madame de Saint-Vire to a state of nervous dread. Her mind was in a tumult; she watered her pillow nightly with useless, bitter tears a...

Lord Rupert yawned mightily, and heaved himself up in his chair. “What do we do tonight?” he asked. “ ’Pon my soul, I’ve never been to so many balls in my life! It’s no wonder I’m worn out.” “Oh, my d...

The Marlings came early to Madame du Deffand’s house, and were followed shortly by Merivale and Hugh Davenant. Madame du Deffand wanted to know what had become of Léonie, and was informed that she was...

Into the village of Bassincourt once again rode his Grace of Avon, upon a hired horse. He was dressed in breeches of buff cloth, and a coat of dull purple velvet, laced with gold. His high spurred boo...

“My dear Comte,” said Fanny, in a voice of long-suffering, “I have not seen Justin since that terrible night.” Armand threw out his hands. “But it is over a week ago!” he cried. “Where is he? Where is...