Isabelle is a very good pretext for you; she is young, beautiful, clever, modest, and virtuous.

In fact many an actress who takes like her the role of the ingenuous young girl is in reality all that she personates, though a frivolous and frequently licentious public will not credit it for a moment." Herewith the pedant discreetly retired, having accomplished, to his great satisfaction, what he had really feared to propose to the young baron, for whom he had conceived a very warm affection.
Meanwhile the elegant Leander, indulging in delightful dreams of the possible fair chatelaine who was to fall a victim to his charms, was making his careful toilet--arraying himself in his most resplendent finery, scrupulously kept for grand occasions--convinced that great good fortune awaited him, and determined to carry the noble lady's heart by storm.
As to the actresses, to whom the gallant marquis, with princely munificence, had sent several pieces of rich stuffs and silks, it is needless to say that they spared no pains to make themselves as charming as possible, and obeyed the summons to dinner radiant with smiles and in high good humour--excepting indeed the fair Serafina, who was inwardly consumed with envy and spite, but careful to conceal it from all beholders.
The marquis, who was of an ardent, impatient nature, made his appearance in the dining-room before they had quite finished the sumptuous repast which had been served to them; he would not allow them to rise, but seated himself at the table with them, and when the last course had been removed, asked the tyrant to be good enough to give him a list of the plays they were in the habit of acting, so that he might select one for the evening's entertainment.

But so many were enumerated that his lordship found it not easy to make a choice, and expressed his desire to have the tyrant's ideas upon the subject.
"There is one piece we often play," Herode said, "which never fails to please, and is so full of good-natured fun and nonsense that it keeps the audience in a roar of laughter from the beginning to the end." "Let us have that one, by all means," the marquis exclaimed; "and pray what is the name of this delightful play ?" "The Rodomontades of Captain Matamore." "A capital title, upon my word! and has the soubrette a good part in it ?" asked his lordship, with a languishing glance at her.
"The most racy, mischievous role imaginable," said Herode warmly, "and she plays it to perfection--it is her chef d'oeuvre.

She is always applauded to the echo in it." At this high praise from the manager, Zerbine--for such was the soubrette's name--tried her best to get up a becoming blush, but in vain.

Modesty she had none, and the tint she would fain have called into requisition at that moment was not contained in any of her numerous rouge-pots.