"Madame, my cousin," he exclaimed, and departed smiling.

Desiree went sluggishly upstairs again.

CHAPTER IV. THE CL0UDED M00N.

Quand on se mefie on se trompe, quand on ne se mefie pas, on esttrompe.

Charles Darragon had come to Dantzig a fortnight earlier. He was alieutenant in an infantry regiment, and he was twenty-five. Many ofhis contemporaries were colonels in these days of quick promotion,when men lived at such a rate that few of them lived long. ButCharles was too easy-going to envy any man.

When he arrived he really knew no one in Dantzig, had few friends in thearmy of occupation. In six fortnights he possessed acquaintances inevery street, and was on terms of easy familiarity with all hisfellow-officers.

"If the army of occupation had more officers like youthful Darragon," atown councillor had grimly exclaimed to Rapp, "the Dantzigers would soonbe resigned to your presence."

It seemed that Charles had the gift of popularity. He was open andhearty, hail-fellow-well-met with the quite new-comers, who were numerousenough at this time, quick to comprehend the quiet men, ready tomake merry with the gay. Regarding himself, he was quite open andfrank.