Over their heads was extended the thick and fragrant vault of branches, through the occasional openings of which the stars could be seen glittering in their beauty.

Madame softly drew De Guiche about a hundred paces away from that indiscreet tree which had heard, and had allowed so many things to be heard, during the evening, and, leading him to a neighboring glade, so that they could see a certain distance around them, she said in a trembling voice, "I have brought you here, because yonder where you were, everything can be overheard." "Everything can be overheard, did you say, Madame ?" replied the young man, mechanically.
"Yes." "Which means--" murmured De Guiche.
"Which means that I have heard every syllable you have said." "Oh, Heaven! this only was wanting to destroy me," stammered De Guiche; and he bent down his head, like an exhausted swimmer beneath the wave which engulfs him.
"And so," she said, "you judge me as you have said ?" De Guiche grew pale, turned his head aside, and was silent.

He felt almost on the point of fainting.
"I do not complain," continued the princess, in a tone of voice full of gentleness; "I prefer a frankness that wounds me, to flattery, which would deceive me.

And so, according to your opinion, M.de Guiche, I am a coquette, an a worthless creature." "Worthless," cried the young man; "you worthless! Oh, no; most certainly I did not say, I could not have said, that that which was the most precious object in life for me could be worthless.

No, no; I did not say that." "A woman who sees a man perish, consumed by the fire she has kindled, and who does not allay that fire, is, in my opinion, a worthless woman." "What can it matter to you what I said ?" returned the comte.