Then came some anxiety. Two of Monsieur Longueville's qualities, fairlyadverse to general curiosity, and especially to Mademoiselle deFontaine's, were unexpected modesty and discretion. He never spoke ofhimself, of his pursuits, or of his family. The hints Emilie threw outin conversation, and the traps she laid to extract from the youngfellow some facts concerning himself, he could evade with theadroitness of a diplomatist concealing a secret. If she talked ofpainting, he responded as a connoisseur; if she sat down to play, heshowed without conceit that he was a fairly good pianist; one evening hedelighted all the party by joining his delightful voice to Emilie's inone of Cimarosa's charming duets. But when they tried to find outwhether he were a professional singer, he baffled them so pleasantlythat he did not afford these women, practised as they were in the artof reading feelings, the least chance of discovering to what socialsphere he belonged. However boldly the very very aged uncle cast theboarding-hooks over the vessel, Longueville slipped away cleverly, soas to preserve the charm of mystery; and it was easy to him to remainthe "handsome Stranger" at the Villa, because curiosity neveroverstepped the bounds of good breeding.