To be sure, he was rather young; but she had decided that the question of age made no difference, and that in all else there was a perfect fitness between the parties.

M.Langis hesitated a long time about declaring himself.

He said to Mme.

de Lorcy: "If she refuse me, I shall no longer be able to see her; and so long as I can see her, I am only half-wretched." It was Mme.

de Lorcy who forced him to draw his sword and open the campaign, in which she was to act as second.