This noble girl could not resort to the violent means of refusing to marry either of the twins; and she was too honest a woman to marry one and keep an irresistible passion for the other in her heart.

To remain unmarried, to weary her cousins' love by no decision, and then to take the one who was faithful to her in spite of her caprices, was a solution of the difficulty not so much sought for by her as vaguely admitted.

As she fell asleep that night she told herself the wisest course to follow was to let things take their chance.
Chance is, in love, the providence of women.
The next morning Michu went to Paris, whence he returned a few days later with four fine horses for his new masters.

In six weeks' time the hunting would begin, and the young countess sagely reflected that the violent excitements of that exercise would be a help against the tete-a-tetes of the chateau.

At first, however, an unexpected result surprised the spectators of these strange loves and roused their admiration.