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He stretched forth his arms.-She listened to him with a maiden's

blush, but with a face once more cheerful. As a child likes to

look at gay pictures and finds amusement in glittering counters

before he learns their true worth, so her ears were soothed by

the sounding words of which she did not understand the meaning.

Finally she asked: "Where do you come from, sir, and what are you

looking for here in the garden?"

The Count opened his eyes, confused and amazed, and did not

reply. Finally, lowering the tone of his discourse, he said:-

"Pardon me, my little lady; I see that I have spoiled your fun! O

pardon me, I was just hurrying to breakfast; it is late and I

wanted to get there on time. You know that by the road one has to

make a circuit; through the garden it seems to me there is a

short cut to the house."

"There is your way, sir," said the girl; "only you must not spoil

the vegetable beds; there is the path between the strips of

grass."

"To the left?" asked the Count, "or to the right?"