"I should be very glad to see you, my dear Herminie, but--but my relative--"
"Poor child, I understand," said Herminie, quickly, unconsciously coming to Ernestine's assistance. "You are not in your own home, of course, and your relative makes you painfully conscious of the fact, sometimes, perhaps."
"That is it exactly," said Mlle. de Beaumesnil, delighted with this excuse. "My relative is not bad at heart, but so peevish, and such a grumbler. I don't believe there was ever another such grumbler in the world," she added, smiling.
"That is enough for me," exclaimed Herminie, laughing in her turn. "If she's a grumbler, she'll never have a visit from me. The only way out of the difficulty, Ernestine, is for you to come and see me whenever you have time."
"I was just going to ask you to grant me that privilege."
"Yes, yes, you shall come and see how pretty my room is," said the duchess.
Then remembering that her new friend was not as comfortably housed, Herminie added:
"When I say that, I don't really mean it. My room is really very unpretentious."
But Ernestine understood Herminie's disposition and character pretty well already, so she said, smiling:
"Be honest, Herminie."
"About what?"
"Your room is charming, and you only retracted your words because you thought I would feel badly because I hadn't a room as pretty as yours."
"Do you know, Ernestine, that you would be a very dangerous person to have around if any one had a secret, for you seem to divine everything."
"I was sure of it! Your room is charming. How I shall enjoy seeing it."
"You must not say how I shall enjoy seeing it. You must say, 'Herminie, I am coming to take a glass of milk with you some morning, soon.'"
"Oh, I'll say that with all the pleasure in life."
"And I accept your offer with equal pleasure. Only when you come, Ernestine, don't let it be any later than nine o'clock, for I begin my round of lessons at ten. And now what day will you come?"
Mlle. de Beaumesnil was rescued from this embarrassing situation by Providence in the shape of a handsome non-commissioned officer of hussars, who was no other than Olivier.
Faithful to the promise made to Mlle. Herbaut, the kind-hearted fellow had come to ask Ernestine to dance the next quadrille with him, so, after having greeted Herminie in the most cordial and respectful manner, he bowed low before Ernestine, with the stereotyped phrase:
"Will mademoiselle do me the honour to dance the next quadrille with me."
CHAPTER III.
A BOLD QUESTION.
Mlle. de Beaumesnil was doubly surprised, as the invitation must have been premeditated, inasmuch as she was not then in the ball-room, so having no answer ready in her astonishment, Herminie came to her assistance by saying gaily to the young soldier:
"I accept your invitation in mademoiselle's name, M. Olivier, for she is quite capable of depriving herself of the pleasure of dancing merely to keep me company."
"As mademoiselle has accepted for me," added Ernestine, smiling, "I can but follow her example."
Olivier bowed again, and turning to Herminie remarked:
"Unfortunately I arrived very late this evening, mademoiselle, for I found you had not only ceased playing, but had also abandoned all idea of dancing."
"You did come very late, M. Olivier, for I recollect seeing you come in at the conclusion of the last polka I played."
"Alas! mademoiselle, you see in me a victim of my own patience and another's unpunctuality. I was waiting for a friend who intended to come with me."
Herminie blushed slightly and averted her eyes.
"But this friend did not come," Olivier added.
"Possibly he is ill, M. Olivier," said the duchess, with feigned indifference.
"No, mademoiselle, he is perfectly well, for I saw him only a few hours ago, but I think his mother must have detained him, for the kind-hearted fellow never opposes her in anything."
The words seemed to dispel the slight cloud which had gathered, now and then, on the brow of the duchess during the evening, and she answered, gaily:
"Then you do very wrong to blame your friend if he has such a good excuse for his absence, M. Olivier."
"I am not blaming him in the least, Mlle. Herminie. I am only pitying him for not having come, and pitying myself for arriving so late, as I might, perhaps, have had the pleasure of dancing with mademoiselle sooner," added Olivier, addressing Mlle. de Beaumesnil, so she would not feel that she was left out of the conversation.
Suddenly the words, "Take your places!" resounded through the room, accompanied by a few chords on the piano.
"I am at your service, mademoiselle," said Olivier, offering his arm to Ernestine.
The girl arose to accompany Olivier, but Herminie caught her by the hand, and whispered:
"One moment, Ernestine, let me arrange your sash. It needs pinning."
And the duchess, with charming solicitude, straightened a disordered fold in the sash, fastened it with a pin she took from her own girdle, smoothed out a slight wrinkle in Ernestine's corsage,--rendered her, in short, all those little kindly services which two devoted sisters are always performing for each other.
"Now, mademoiselle," remarked Herminie, with kindly gravity, after another brief survey of Ernestine's toilet, "I will let you go and dance, but you must promise to enjoy yourself immensely."
Mlle. de Beaumesnil was so touched by Herminie's little attentions that, before accepting Olivier's arm, she found an opportunity to imprint a light kiss on the cheek of the duchess, and whisper:
"Thanks again! Many, many thanks!"
And really happy for the first time since her mother's death, Ernestine left Herminie, took the arm Olivier offered, and accompanied him into the ball-room.
The young hussar was remarkably handsome and distinguished-looking, cordial in his manner towards men, and extremely deferential to women.
This, together with the fact that he wore his showy uniform, decorated with the cross he had so bravely won, with easy grace, made him a great favourite at Madame Herbaut's entertainments, so Ernestine excited not a little envy and jealousy when she appeared in the ball-room on Olivier's arm.
Even the most artless and ingenuous women are quick to discern the effect they produce upon other women.
And in Mlle. de Beaumesnil's case, these powers of penetration were united with a firm determination to observe every incident of the evening with the closest attention, so, on perceiving the envy which Olivier's preference excited, the young girl's gratitude increased.