Armine, Chapters XXV-XXVII [pp. 218-242]

232 ARMJKE. [Nov.,
who sees much of human nature must-unless very unobservant
learn to judge character by apparently trifling signs. One
of the things which struck me in Mile. Duchesne was tha~t sh~
said no more than was necessary of herself. But in all that
she did say she showed remarkably clear intellect and very
fine feeling."
"I suppose I am something of an enthusiast about Armine,"
said D'Antignac, smiling. "But I am sure that no one in the
world knows her better than I do-indeed, I doubt if any one
knows her so well-and my opinion is that she belongs to the
highest and finest type of character, to that order of great souls
for whom God has special uses."
Then a gentleman who was looking over a paper at a window glanced up and said: "What do you take those uses to
be?"
"Ah!" said D'Antignac, "that I do not pretend to be able
to tell. If I did I should probably make a great mistake. But
you, Gaston, will agree with me that Armine Duchesne is no
ordinary person."
The Vicomte de Marigny-for it was no other than he-laid
down his paper and came forward before answering. Then he
said quietly:
~ "My acquaintance with Mile. Duchesne is very slight, but
I certainly think she is no ordinary person. You know "-he
hesitated for an instant-" I saw her down in Brittany. Did
she tell you that?"
"Yes," D'Antignac replied. "She mentioned it as one rea
son-or at least one apparent reason —for a great change in her
father. It seems that he was never the same to her after he
saw her speaking to you at Marigny."
"Poor girl!" said the vicomte. "I am sorry, then, that I
addressed her. I only did so in order to show her that I did
not identify her with her father. It is perhaps necessary to explain, M. l'Abb6," he added, turning to the priest, "that her
father-the well-known Socialist Duchesne-was in Brittany
for the purpose of defeating my election, if possible."
"If one may judge by the majority which returned you, M.
le Vicomte, he might have spared himself the trouble," said the
priest, smiling.
"Brittany is always faithful," said the vicomte.
"Yet even in faithful Brittany was there not an attempt upon
your life made?" asked the other.
The vicomte shrugged his shoulders. "A trifling affair,"