292 FRENCH AUTHORESSES. 



" Are you really afraid your brother will marry her ?" 



" Not at all/' said Tony, " laughing. " He is not such a fool." 



" Why, really, it is a great piece of folly to marry an actress, how- 

 ever beautiful and amiable she may be." 



" Is'nt it ?" said Tony, with a strange and solemn intonation of 

 voice. 



" Come forward," said Horace," you seem fastened to the spot." 



" Aye, forward," said Tony, plunging his spurs in his horse's sides. 



They stopped at the door of a house which Horace did not recog- 

 nize. Their horses were taken by a servant, while another ushered 

 them into a saloon furnished with taste and magnificence, and lighted 

 by small globes of rose-coloured glass. This sanctuary was embalmed 

 with flowers, and the company, seated on the voluptuous loungers, 

 discussed the topics of the day. Tony's brother advanced to meet 

 him, and, with an air of chagrin, inquired if he was satisfied with his 

 ride." 



" Not as much as you fancy/' said Tony, sharply. 



" And yet," said the lawyer, " you don't seem to have found the 

 time disagreeable, for we have been waiting for you for some time." 



Tony turned his back upon him Horace wished for the explana- 

 tion of this dialogue, but he was answered, with a smile, that he played 

 his part admirably. 



" What part ?" said he, impatiently. 



" Oh, you pretend to be our dupe /' replied they, " but in reality 

 we are your dupes." 



This sort of persiflage had continued for some minutes, when a 

 door opened, and the Signora Coronari simply, but elegantly dressed, 

 advanced towards Horace, with a countenance becoming with smiles. 



" Heavens ! " cried he, overwhelmed with surprise, " which are 

 yours ? Touy or Rose. 



" Neither," replied she ; henceforth I am] Rosina Coronari ; but 

 you will always be to me Horace Cazales, my benefactor. 



To be brief, this interview again changed the destiny of Rose. 

 Horace Cazales, the first whom she had ever loved, whom she had 

 always contemplated at such a distance, and through so many obsta- 

 cles, the subject of her bitterest dreams and her cruel dependency 

 was now at her feet, proud of her triumphs, delighted with her glory, 

 and happy in the applause she extorted on every side. 



Those social considerations which had before prevented him from 

 knowing and appreciating her worth, vanished for a time, and both 

 were happy in the mutual indulgence of their passion. But his 

 friends look the alarm at the idea of his marrying an actriess : 

 artifice, persecution, intrigue, calumny, and every thing had recourse 

 to drive him from his resoluton, and his weakness yields to the per- 

 severing attack. He neglects Rose, and she flings him off with dis- 

 dain. His pride is piqued, and he quits her presence for ever. 

 Thus, like an evil genius, a second time had he interposed himself 

 between her and happiness, and poisoned the current of her existence. 

 He found her careless and gay, and he left her a prey to the most 

 agonizing tortures. 



Now turn we to Blanche. The ceremony of taking the veil was 



