It is a secret as yet; but I see no danger in confiding in your friendship." She believed that she had inflicted a mortal wound upon Marie-Anne's heart; but though she watched her closely, she failed to detect the slightest trace of emotion upon her face.
"What dissimulation!" she thought.

Then aloud, and with affected gayety, she resumed: "And the country folks will see two weddings at about the same time, since you, also, are going to be married, my dear." "I!" "Yes, you, you little deceiver! Everybody knows that you are engaged to a young man in the neighborhood, named--wait--I know--Chanlouineau." Thus the report that annoyed Marie-Anne so much reached her from every side.
"Everybody is for once mistaken," said she, energetically.

"I shall never be that young man's wife." "But why?
They speak well of him, personally, and he is quite rich." "Because," faltered Marie-Anne, "because----" Maurice d'Escorval's name trembled upon her lips; but unfortunately she did not utter it, prevented by a strange expression on the face of her friend.

How often one's destiny depends upon a circumstance apparently as trivial as this! "Impudent, worthless creature!" thought Mlle.

Blanche.
Then, in cold and sneering tones, that betrayed her hatred unmistakably, she said: "You are wrong, believe me, to refuse this offer.