In Bettina's eyes, therein lay all his merit.
Mrs.Scott's castle was open house; people were not invited for one evening only, but for every evening, and Paul, with enthusiasm, came every evening! His dream was at last realized; he had, found Paris at Longueval.
But Paul was neither blind nor a fool.

No doubt he was, on Miss Percival's part, the object of very particular attention and favor.

It pleased her to talk long, very long, alone with him.

But what was the eternal, the inexhaustible subject of their conversations?
Jean, again Jean, and always Jean! Paul was thoughtless, dissipated, frivolous, but he became in earnest when Jean was in question; he knew how to appreciate him, he knew how to love him.

Nothing to him was sweeter, nothing was easier, than to say of the friend of his childhood all the good that he thought of him, and as he saw that Bettina listened with great pleasure, Paul gave free rein to his eloquence.
Only--and he was quite right--Paul wished one evening to reap the benefit of his chivalrous conduct.