You know me, and who I am; you know it is not for me to undertake to confer with Palmyre.

I know, too, her old affection for you; she lives but a little way down this street upon which you live; there is still daylight enough at your disposal; if you will, you can go to see her, and get from her a full and complete exoneration of this young man.

She cannot come to you; she is not fit to leave her room." "Cannot leave her room ?" "I am, possibly, violating confidence in this disclosure, but it is unavoidable--you have to know: she is not fully recovered from a pistol-shot wound received between two and three weeks ago." "Pistol-shot wound!" Both ladies started forward with open lips and exclamations of amazement.
"Received from a third person--not myself and not Professor Frowenfeld--in a desperate attempt made by her to avenge the wrongs which she has suffered, as you, Madam, as well as I, are aware, at the hands of--" Aurora rose up with a majestic motion for the speaker to desist.
"If it is to mention the person of whom your allusion reminds me, that you have honored us with a call this evening, Monsieur--" Her eyes were flashing as he had seen them flash in front of the Place d'Armes.
"I beg you not to suspect me of meanness," he answered, gently, and with a remonstrative smile.

"I have been trying all day, in a way unnecessary to explain, to be generous." "I suppose you are incapabl'," said Aurora, following her double meaning with that combination of mischievous eyes and unsmiling face of which she was master.

She resumed her seat, adding: "It is generous for you to admit that Palmyre has suffered wrongs." "It _would_ be," he replied, "to attempt to repair them, seeing that I am not responsible for them, but this I cannot claim yet to have done.