As far as beauty is concerned, I much prefer that which these dark woods present, in whose depths can be seen, now in one direction and again in another, a light passing by, as though it were an eye, in color like a midnight rainbow, sometimes open, at others closed." "La Valliere is quite a poetess," said Tonnay-Charente.
"In other words," said Montalais, "she is insupportable.

Whenever there is a question of laughing a little or of amusing ourselves, La Valliere begins to cry; whenever we girls have reason to cry, because, perhaps, we have mislaid our dresses, or because our vanity as been wounded, or our costume fails to produce an effect, La Valliere laughs." "As far as I am concerned, that is not my character," said Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente.

"I am a woman; and there are few like me; whoever loves me, flatters me; whoever flatters me, pleases me; and whoever pleases--" "Well!" said Montalais, "you do not finish." "It is too difficult," replied Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente, laughing loudly.

"Do you, who are so clever, finish for me." "And you, Louise ?" said Montalais, "does any one please you ?" "That is a matter that concerns no one but myself," replied the young girl, rising from the mossy bank on which she had been reclining during the whole time the ballet lasted.

"Now, mesdemoiselles, we have agreed to amuse ourselves to-night without any one to overlook us, and without any escort.