75 ) 



THE WATCH-TOWER OF KOAT-VEN. 



( Continued from page 365 J 



IT must be ascribed to the then existing laxity of moral discipline in 

 the fashionable circles of Paris, that the adventure of the Count de 

 Vaudrey became his best introduction to the most elegant coteries. 

 Every one displayed an anxiety to be acquainted with the brilliant 

 deceiver, and that which should have heaped upon him the contempt 

 and abhorrence of society formed on the contrary his proudest claim 

 to distinction. The ladies too, ever foremost in the contest for in- 

 vidious distinction, gloried in the hope of bowing the exalted prize 

 before their feet. 



The Countess d'Emard was 'the centre of the most brilliant circle 

 in Paris, and was distantly related to the count. She had passed the 

 age when love and the buoyant feelings of youth stimulate to the 

 pursuit of pleasure, but held her sway by means of a powerful and 

 educated mind, and that fair proportion of elegant intrigue upon 

 which the busy exchange of fashionable life so much depends. She 

 had invited a select party of her friends for the purpose of consider- 

 ing some secret matters of state importance, which was suddenly 

 interrupted by the announcement of the Count de Vaudrey. 



Henry was superbly dressed in a court costume of crimson velvet 

 embroidered with gold, and made his salutation with an air of calm- 

 ness arid dignity which produced the greater impression upon the 

 fair bosoms of the assembled guests, as it was the most unexpected. 

 The Baroness de Cernan had just entered her twentieth year, and 

 was beautiful as an angel. She, more than any of the ladies present, 

 felt indignant at the proud bearing of the count, but could not sup- 

 press an agitation in his presence and a wonder at the splendour of 

 his appearance which shed a light blush of crimson o'er her cheek and 

 heightened the brilliancy of her charms. This was not unobserved 

 by Henry, and he determined to make use of it; though from his 

 cold and polite deportment no suspicion could be entertained of the 

 impression which he had received. He hardly addressed himself to 

 her during the whole evening, and bowed frigidly as the party broke 

 up, and she was conducted by her husband to the carriage. 



The Count de Vaudrey had been engaged by the Countess 

 d'Emard to execute a favour for the Baron de Cernan, which re- 

 quired that he should apply to his friend the Marshall de Castries, 

 his majesty's prime minister. He had too contrived to ascertain that 

 the baroness was engaged to dine with Madame la Marechale on the 

 following day. It was not therefore so astonishing that the Count 

 de Vaudrey should be sustaining a lively conversation with the Mar- 

 chioness de la Vaille, who sat upon his right at the table of the 

 Marshall de Castries, while upon his left sat the Baroness de Cernan, 

 responding in unconnected phrases to the observations of an old 

 counsellor opposite, while her main attention was engaged by the 



