Monsieur, Madame, and Bebe -- C

ay: "Madame de K.? Ah! to be sure, a fine woman!" Do you perceive the difference? it is easy to grasp it. That which charms in her is less what one sees than what one guesses at. Ah! to be sure, a

the part of each of the guests. The ladies in the drawing room do not suspect the charming freedom which character

he is a very

, expansive be

us; he does not seem to get any bet

poor De K., who has gone to fetch cigars, p

I have told him. His position at the

is not strong," ventures a guest, gravely, b

ar her beauty has developed," says a

ty? I never c

't say

u did; is it n

here is a burst of that hearty laughter which men affect to assist digestion.

she turned just now it looked

shoulders! Did you see her at Leon's ball a fortnight ago? A

nto his cup. All laugh heartily, and the good De K.

s, coughing slightly, "but let me

hocked; first, because De K. is my friend, and in the second place because I can not endure people who speak of that of which they know nothing. I make bold to say that I alone in Paris understand this matter to the bottom. Yes, yes, I

urself; come to the point. Do you mean to say that Mad

es; let us speak of something else. How could the idea have got into my he

in torrents and the north wind blew furiou

l be better to tell all. Only swear to me to be dis

s who can speak from knowledge of "a

open, and we used to sit in armchairs and chat of affairs by the light of our cigars. Now, one evening, when we were talking of fishing-all these details are

" said Paul, regarding one of th

ed her hours,

Usually she practises in the morning, and I like t

nctly perceived a woman, dressed in white, with her hair loose, and swaying before her in

he top of her voice. The singing appeared to me mediocr

alluded to the curtain-"a very handsome woman. Put out your cigars, if you p

ow was even almost completely closed for

lled it, we were young bachelors, all five of us, and then

rved for night wear. The upper part is often trimmed with lace, the sleeves are wide, the folds are long and flowing, and usually give forth a perfume of ambergris or violet. But perhaps you know this garment as well as I. The fair one drew near the looking-glass, an

in a stifled voice, bu

air, just as the washerwomen do. Her head, which we saw in profile, inclined a little forward, and h

" muttered Paul. "O Cyp

et, you

fair songstress, it illuminated her so perfectly that the garment with the long folds resembled those thin vapors which veil the horizon

and remained for some moments, with her hands clasped over her head and her limbs extended. Just then midnight struck; we saw h

lves in my mind-very firmly indeed, I can assure you-I feel an embarrassment mingled with modesty at relating all to

grace, the same charm, but when we came to the fatal moment at which on the preceding night the candle had gone out, a faint thrill ran through us all. To tell the truth, for my part, I was nervous. Heaven, very fortunately, was now on our side; the candle continued to burn. Th

, slowly bury itself. We seemed to hear a kind of creaking, but this creaking sounded joyful. The sight was brief, too brief, alas! and it was in a species of delightful confusion that we perceived a well-rounded limb, dazzlingly white, str

rs, my paper seems to blush to the color of that used

ut to be married, and, singularly enough, was going to wed

oman!" I excl

er, then?"

the least in

ut

e; I have seen her

pretty," some o

, and added to myself, "No, no

n oppressing me, and, though I decided to-day to reveal it to you, i

et me entreat you, do not