Isaura,
then
rejoined
her
side
.
“
A
view
of
Sorrento
,
Monsieur
,
but
it
does
not
do
justice
to
the
place
.
I
was
pointing
out
the
house
which
belonged
to
Tasso’s
father
.
”
“
Tasso
!
Hein
!
and
which
is
the
fair
Eleonora’s
?
”
“
Monsieur
,
”
answered
Isaura
,
rather
startled
at
that
question
,
from
a
professed
homme
de
lettres
,
“
Eleonora
did
not
live
at
Sorrento
.
”
“
Tant
pis
pour
Sorrente
,
”
said
the
homme
de
lettres
,
carelessly
.
“
No
one
would
care
for
Tasso
if
it
were
not
for
Eleonora
.
”
“
I
should
rather
have
thought
,
”
said
Graham
,
“
that
no
one
would
have
cared
for
Eleonora
if
it
were
not
for
Tasso
.
”
Rameau
glanced
at
the
Englishman
superciliously
.
“
Pardon
,
Monsieur
,
in
every
age
a
love-story
keeps
its
interest
;
but
who
cares
nowadays
for
le
clinquant
du
Tasse
?
”
“
Le
clinquant
du
Tasse
!
”
exclaimed
Isaura
,
indignantly
.
“
The
expression
is
Boileau’s
,
Mademoiselle
,
in
ridicule
of
the
‘Sot
de
qualite
,
’
who
prefers
—
“
‘Le
clinquant
du
Tasse
a
tout
l’or
de
Virgile.’
“
But
for
my
part
I
have
as
little
faith
in
the
last
as
the
first
.
”
“
I
do
not
know
Latin
,
and
have
therefore
not
read
Virgil
,
”
said
Isaura
.
“
Possibly
,
”
remarked
Graham
,
“
Monsieur
does
not
know
Italian
,
and
has
therefore
not
read
Tasso
.
”
“
If
that
be
meant
in
sarcasm
,
”
retorted
Rameau
,
“
I
construe
it
as
a
compliment
.
A
Frenchman
who
is
contented
to
study
the
masterpieces
of
modern
literature
need
learn
no
language
and
read
no
authors
but
his
own
.
”
Isaura
laughed
her
pleasant
silvery
laugh
.
“
I
should
admire
the
frankness
of
that
boast
,
Monsieur
,
if
in
our
talk
just
now
you
had
not
spoken
as
contemptuously
of
what
we
are
accustomed
to
consider
French
masterpieces
as
you
have
done
of
Virgil
and
Tasso
.
”
“
Ah
,
Mademoiselle
!
it
is
not
my
fault
if
you
have
had
teachers
of
taste
so
rococo
as
to
bid
you
find
masterpieces
in
the
tiresome
stilted
tragedies
of
Corneille
and
Racine
.
Poetry
of
a
court
,
not
of
a
people
,
one
simple
novel
,
one
simple
stanza
that
probes
the
hidden
recesses
of
the
human
heart
,
reveals
the
sores
of
this
wretched
social
state
,
denounces
the
evils
of
superstition
,
kingcraft
,
and
priestcraft
,
is
worth
a
library
of
the
rubbish
which
pedagogues
call
‘the
classics.’
We
agree
,
at
least
,
in
one
thing
,
Mademoiselle
;
we
both
do
homage
to
the
genius
of
your
friend
Madame
de
Grantmesnil
.
”
“
Your
friend
,
Signorina
!
”
cried
Graham
,
incredulously
;
“
is
Madame
de
Grantmesnil
your
friend
?
”
“
The
dearest
I
have
in
the
world
.
”
Graham’s
face
darkened
;
he
turned
away
in
silence
,
and
in
another
minute
vanished
from
the
room
,
persuading
himself
that
he
felt
not
one
pang
of
jealousy
in
leaving
Gustave
Rameau
by
the
side
of
Isaura
.
“
Her
dearest
friend
Madame
de
Grantmesnil
!
”
he
muttered
.
A
word
now
on
Isaura’s
chief
correspondent
.
Madame
de
Grantmesnil
was
a
woman
of
noble
birth
and
ample
fortune
.
She
had
separated
from
her
husband
in
the
second
year
after
marriage
.
She
was
a
singularly
eloquent
writer
,
surpassed
among
contemporaries
of
her
sex
in
popularity
and
renown
only
by
Georges
Sand
.
At
least
as
fearless
as
that
great
novelist
in
the
frank
exposition
of
her
views
,
she
had
commenced
her
career
in
letters
by
a
work
of
astonishing
power
and
pathos
,
directed
against
the
institution
of
marriage
as
regulated
in
Roman
Catholic
communities
.
I
do
not
know
that
it
said
more
on
this
delicate
subject
than
the
English
Milton
has
said
;
but
then
Milton
did
not
write
for
a
Roman
Catholic
community
,
nor
adopt
a
style
likely
to
captivate
the
working
classes
.
Madame
de
Grantmesnil’s
first
book
was
deemed
an
attack
on
the
religion
of
the
country
,
and
captivated
those
among
the
working
classes
who
had
already
abjured
that
religion
.
This
work
was
followed
up
by
others
more
or
less
in
defiance
of
“
received
opinions
,
”
—
some
with
political
,
some
with
social
revolutionary
aim
and
tendency
,
but
always
with
a
singular
purity
of
style
.
Search
all
her
books
,
and
however
you
might
revolt
from
her
doctrine
,
you
could
not
find
a
hazardous
expression
.
The
novels
of
English
young
ladies
are
naughty
in
comparison
.
Of
late
years
,
whatever
might
be
hard
or
audacious
in
her
political
or
social
doctrines
softened
itself
into
charm
amid
the
golden
haze
of
romance
.
Her
writings
had
grown
more
and
more
purely
artistic
,
—
poetizing
what
is
good
and
beautiful
in
the
realities
of
life
rather
than
creating
a
false
ideal
out
of
what
is
vicious
and
deformed
.
Such
a
woman
,
separated
young
from
her
husband
,
could
not
enunciate
such
opinions
and
lead
a
life
so
independent
and
uncontrolled
as
Madame
de
Grantmesnil
had
done
,
without
scandal
,
without
calumny
.
Nothing
,
however
,
in
her
actual
life
had
ever
been
so
proved
against
her
as
to
lower
the
high
position
she
occupied
in
right
of
birth
,
fortune
,
renown
.
Wherever
she
went
she
was
fetee
,
as
in
England
foreign
princes
,
and
in
America
foreign
authors
,
are
fetes
.
Those
who
knew
her
well
concurred
in
praise
of
her
lofty
,
generous
,
lovable
qualities
.
Madame
de
Grantmesnil
had
known
Mr.
Selby
;
and
when
,
at
his
death
,
Isaura
,
in
the
innocent
age
between
childhood
and
youth
,
had
been
left
the
most
sorrowful
and
most
lonely
creature
on
the
face
of
the
earth
,
this
famous
woman
,
worshipped
by
the
rich
for
her
intellect
,
adored
by
the
poor
for
her
beneficence
,
came
to
the
orphan’s
friendless
side
,
breathing
love
once
more
into
her
pining
heart
,
and
waking
for
the
first
time
the
desires
of
genius
,
the
aspirations
of
art
,
in
the
dim
self-consciousness
of
a
soul
between
sleep
and
waking
.
But
,
my
dear
Englishman
,
put
yourself
in
Graham’s
place
,
and
suppose
that
you
were
beginning
to
fall
in
love
with
a
girl
whom
for
many
good
reasons
you
ought
not
to
marry
;
suppose
that
in
the
same
hour
in
which
you
were
angrily
conscious
of
jealousy
on
account
of
a
man
whom
it
wounds
your
self-esteem
to
consider
a
rival
,
the
girl
tells
you
that
her
dearest
friend
is
a
woman
who
is
famed
for
her
hostility
to
the
institution
of
marriage
!
CHAPTER
IV
.
On
the
same
day
in
which
Graham
dined
with
the
Savarins
,
M
.
Louvier
assembled
round
his
table
the
elite
of
the
young
Parisians
who
constituted
the
oligarchy
of
fashion
,
to
meet
whom
he
had
invited
his
new
friend
the
Marquis
de
Rochebriant
.
Most
of
them
belonged
to
the
Legitimist
party
,
the
noblesse
of
the
faubourg
;
those
who
did
not
,
belonged
to
no
political
party
at
all
,
—
indifferent
to
the
cares
of
mortal
States
as
the
gods
of
Epicurus
.
Foremost
among
this
Jeunesse
doree
were
Alain’s
kinsmen
,
Raoul
and
Enguerrand
de
Vandemar
.
To
these
Louvier
introduced
him
with
a
burly
parental
bonhomie
,
as
if
he
were
the
head
of
the
family
.
“
I
need
not
bid
you
,
young
folks
,
to
make
friends
with
each
other
.
A
Vandemar
and
a
Rochebriant
are
not
made
friends
,
—
they
are
born
friends
.
”
So
saying
he
turned
to
his
other
guests
.
Almost
in
an
instant
Alain
felt
his
constraint
melt
away
in
the
cordial
warmth
with
which
his
cousins
greeted
him
.
These
young
men
had
a
striking
family
likeness
to
each
other
,
and
yet
in
feature
,
colouring
,
and
expression
,
in
all
save
that
strange
family
likeness
,
they
were
contrasts
.
Raoul
was
tall
,
and
,
though
inclined
to
be
slender
,
with
sufficient
breadth
of
shoulder
to
indicate
no
inconsiderable
strength
of
frame
.
His
hair
worn
short
and
his
silky
beard
worn
long
were
dark
;
so
were
his
eyes
,
shaded
by
curved
drooping
lashes
;
his
complexion
was
pale
,
but
clear
and
healthful
.
In
repose
the
expression
of
his
face
was
that
of
a
somewhat
melancholy
indolence
,
but
in
speaking
it
became
singularly
sweet
,
with
a
smile
of
the
exquisite
urbanity
which
no
artificial
politeness
can
bestow
;
it
must
emanate
from
that
native
high
breeding
which
has
its
source
in
goodness
of
heart
.
Enguerrand
was
fair
,
with
curly
locks
of
a
golden
chestnut
.
He
wore
no
beard
,
only
a
small
mustache
rather
darker
than
his
hair
.
His
complexion
might
in
itself
be
called
effeminate
,
its
bloom
was
so
fresh
and
delicate
;
but
there
was
so
much
of
boldness
and
energy
in
the
play
of
his
countenance
,
the
hardy
outline
of
the
lips
,
and
the
open
breadth
of
the
forehead
,
that
“
effeminate
”
was
an
epithet
no
one
ever
assigned
to
his
aspect
.
He
was
somewhat
under
the
middle
height
,
but
beautifully
proportioned
,
carried
himself
well
,
and
somehow
or
other
did
not
look
short
even
by
the
side
of
tall
men
.
Altogether
he
seemed
formed
to
be
a
mother’s
darling
,
and
spoiled
by
women
,
yet
to
hold
his
own
among
men
with
a
strength
of
will
more
evident
in
his
look
and
his
bearing
than
it
was
in
those
of
his
graver
and
statelier
brother
.
Both
were
considered
by
their
young
co-equals
models
in
dress
,
but
in
Raoul
there
was
no
sign
that
care
or
thought
upon
dress
had
been
bestowed
;
the
simplicity
of
his
costume
was
absolute
and
severe
.
On
his
plain
shirt-front
there
gleamed
not
a
stud
,
on
his
fingers
there
sparkled
not
a
ring
.
Enguerrand
,
on
the
contrary
,
was
not
without
pretension
in
his
attire
;
the
broderie
in
his
shirt-front
seemed
woven
by
the
Queen
of
the
Fairies
.
His
rings
of
turquoise
and
opal
,
his
studs
and
wrist-buttons
of
pearl
and
brilliants
,
must
have
cost
double
the
rental
of
Rochebriant
,
but
probably
they
cost
him
nothing
.
He
was
one
of
those
happy
Lotharios
to
whom
Calistas
make
constant
presents
.
All
about
him
was
so
bright
that
the
atmosphere
around
seemed
gayer
for
his
presence
.
In
one
respect
at
least
the
brothers
closely
resembled
each
other
,
—
in
that
exquisite
graciousness
of
manner
for
which
the
genuine
French
noble
is
traditionally
renowned
;
a
graciousness
that
did
not
desert
them
even
when
they
came
reluctantly
into
contact
with
roturiers
or
republicans
;
but
the
graciousness
became
egalite
,
fraternite
,
towards
one
of
their
caste
and
kindred
.
“
We
must
do
our
best
to
make
Paris
pleasant
to
you
,
”
said
Raoul
,
still
retaining
in
his
grasp
the
hand
he
had
taken
.
“
Vilain
cousin
,
”
said
the
livelier
Enguerrand
,
“
to
have
been
in
Paris
twenty-four
hours
,
and
without
letting
us
know
.
”
“
Has
not
your
father
told
you
that
I
called
upon
him
?
”
“
Our
father
,
”
answered
Raoul
,
“
was
not
so
savage
as
to
conceal
that
fact
;
but
he
said
you
were
only
here
on
business
for
a
day
or
two
,
had
declined
his
invitation
,
and
would
not
give
your
address
.
Pauvre
pere
!
we
scolded
him
well
for
letting
you
escape
from
us
thus
.
My
mother
has
not
forgiven
him
yet
;
we
must
present
you
to
her
to-morrow
.
I
answer
for
your
liking
her
almost
as
much
as
she
will
like
you
.
”
Before
Alain
could
answer
dinner
was
announced
.
Alain’s
place
at
dinner
was
between
his
cousins
.
How
pleasant
they
made
themselves
!
It
was
the
first
time
in
which
Alain
had
been
brought
into
such
familiar
conversation
with
countrymen
of
his
own
rank
as
well
as
his
own
age
.
His
heart
warmed
to
them
.
The
general
talk
of
the
other
guests
was
strange
to
his
ear
;
it
ran
much
upon
horses
and
races
,
upon
the
opera
and
the
ballet
;
it
was
enlivened
with
satirical
anecdotes
of
persons
whose
names
were
unknown
to
the
Provincial
;
not
a
word
was
said
that
showed
the
smallest
interest
in
politics
or
the
slightest
acquaintance
with
literature
.
The
world
of
these
well-born
guests
seemed
one
from
which
all
that
concerned
the
great
mass
of
mankind
was
excluded
,
yet
the
talk
was
that
which
could
only
be
found
in
a
very
polished
society
.
In
it
there
was
not
much
wit
,
but
there
was
a
prevalent
vein
of
gayety
,
and
the
gayety
was
never
violent
,
the
laughter
was
never
loud
;
the
scandals
circulated
might
imply
cynicism
the
most
absolute
,
but
in
language
the
most
refined
.
The
Jockey
Club
of
Paris
has
its
perfume
.
Raoul
did
not
mix
in
the
general
conversation
;
he
devoted
himself
pointedly
to
the
amusement
of
his
cousin
,
explaining
to
him
the
point
of
the
anecdotes
circulated
,
or
hitting
off
in
terse
sentences
the
characters
of
the
talkers
.
Enguerrand
was
evidently
of
temper
more
vivacious
than
his
brother
,
and
contributed
freely
to
the
current
play
of
light
gossip
and
mirthful
sally
.
Louvier
,
seated
between
a
duke
and
a
Russian
prince
,
said
little
except
to
recommend
a
wine
or
an
entree
,
but
kept
his
eye
constantly
on
the
Vandemars
and
Alain
.
Immediately
after
coffee
the
guests
departed
.
Before
they
did
so
,
however
,
Raoul
introduced
his
cousin
to
those
of
the
party
most
distinguished
by
hereditary
rank
or
social
position
.
With
these
the
name
of
Rochebriant
was
too
historically
famous
not
to
insure
respect
of
its
owner
;
they
welcomed
him
among
them
as
if
he
were
their
brother
.
The
French
duke
claimed
him
as
a
connection
by
an
alliance
in
the
fourteenth
century
;
the
Russian
prince
had
known
the
late
Marquis
,
and
trusted
that
the
son
would
allow
him
to
improve
into
friendship
the
acquaintance
he
had
formed
with
the
father
.
Those
ceremonials
over
,
Raoul
linked
his
arm
in
Alain’s
and
said
:
“
I
am
not
going
to
release
you
so
soon
after
we
have
caught
you
.
You
must
come
with
me
to
a
house
in
which
I
at
least
spend
an
hour
or
two
every
evening
.
I
am
at
home
there
.
Bah
!
I
take
no
refusal
.
Do
not
suppose
I
carry
you
off
to
Bohemia
,
—
a
country
which
,
I
am
sorry
to
say
,
Enguerrand
now
and
then
visits
,
but
which
is
to
me
as
unknown
as
the
mountains
of
the
moon
.
The
house
I
speak
of
is
comme
il
faut
to
the
utmost
.
It
is
that
of
the
Contessa
di
Rimini
,
—
a
charming
Italian
by
marriage
,
but
by
birth
and
in
character
on
ne
peut
plus
Francaise
.
My
mother
adores
her
.
”
That
dinner
at
M
.
Louvier’s
had
already
effected
a
great
change
in
the
mood
and
temper
of
Alain
de
Rochebriant
;
he
felt
,
as
if
by
magic
,
the
sense
of
youth
,
of
rank
,
of
station
,
which
had
been
so
suddenly
checked
and
stifled
,
warmed
to
life
within
his
veins
.
He
should
have
deemed
himself
a
boor
had
he
refused
the
invitation
so
frankly
tendered
.
But
on
reaching
the
coupe
which
the
brothers
kept
in
common
,
and
seeing
it
only
held
two
,
he
drew
back
.
“
Nay
,
enter
,
mon
cher
,
”
said
Raoul
,
divining
the
cause
of
his
hesitation
;
“
Enguerrand
has
gone
on
to
his
club
.
”
CHAPTER
V.
“
Tell
me
,
”
said
Raoul
,
when
they
were
in
the
carriage
,
“
how
you
came
to
know
M
.
Louvier
.
”
“
He
is
my
chief
mortgagee
.
”
“
H’m
!
that
explains
it
.
But
you
might
be
in
worse
hands
;
the
man
has
a
character
for
liberality
.
”
“
Did
your
father
mention
to
you
my
circumstances
,
and
the
reason
that
brings
me
to
Paris
?
”
“
Since
you
put
the
question
point-blank
,
my
dear
cousin
,
he
did
.
”
“
He
told
you
how
poor
I
am
,
and
how
keen
must
be
my
lifelong
struggle
to
keep
Rochebriant
as
the
home
of
my
race
?
”
“
He
told
us
all
that
could
make
us
still
more
respect
the
Marquis
de
Rochebriant
,
and
still
more
eagerly
long
to
know
our
cousin
and
the
head
of
our
house
,
”
answered
Raoul
,
with
a
certain
nobleness
of
tone
and
manner
.
Alain
pressed
his
kinsman’s
hand
with
grateful
emotion
.
“
Yet
,
”
he
said
falteringly
,
“
your
father
agreed
with
me
that
my
circumstances
would
not
allow
me
to
—
”
“
Bah
!
”
interrupted
Raoul
,
with
a
gentle
laugh
;
“
my
father
is
a
very
clever
man
,
doubtless
,
but
he
knows
only
the
world
of
his
own
day
,
nothing
of
the
world
of
ours
.
I
and
Enguerrand
will
call
on
you
to-morrow
,
to
take
you
to
my
mother
,
and
before
doing
so
,
to
consult
as
to
affairs
in
general
.
On
this
last
matter
Enguerrand
is
an
oracle
.
Here
we
are
at
the
Contessa’s
.
”
CHAPTER
VI
.
The
Contessa
di
Rimini
received
her
visitors
in
a
boudoir
furnished
with
much
apparent
simplicity
,
but
a
simplicity
by
no
means
inexpensive
.
The
draperies
were
but
of
chintz
,
and
the
walls
covered
with
the
same
material
,
—
a
lively
pattern
,
in
which
the
prevalents
were
rose-colour
and
white
;
but
the
ornaments
on
the
mantelpiece
,
the
china
stored
in
the
cabinets
or
arranged
on
the
shelves
,
the
small
knickknacks
scattered
on
the
tables
,
were
costly
rarities
of
art
.
The
Contessa
herself
was
a
woman
who
had
somewhat
passed
her
thirtieth
year
,
—
not
strikingly
handsome
,
but
exquisitely
pretty
.
“
There
is
,
”
said
a
great
French
writer
,
“
only
one
way
in
which
a
woman
can
be
handsome
,
but
a
hundred
thousand
ways
in
which
she
can
be
pretty
;
”
and
it
would
be
impossible
to
reckon
up
the
number
of
ways
in
which
Adeline
di
Rimini
carried
off
the
prize
in
prettiness
.
Yet
it
would
be
unjust
to
the
personal
attractions
of
the
Contessa
to
class
them
all
under
the
word
“
prettiness
.
”
When
regarded
more
attentively
,
there
was
an
expression
in
her
countenance
that
might
almost
be
called
divine
,
it
spoke
so
unmistakably
of
a
sweet
nature
and
an
untroubled
soul
.
An
English
poet
once
described
her
by
repeating
the
old
lines
,
“
Her
face
is
like
the
milky
way
I’
the
sky
,
—
A
meeting
of
gentle
lights
without
a
name
.
”
She
was
not
alone
;
an
elderly
lady
sat
on
an
armchair
by
the
fire
,
engaged
in
knitting
;
and
a
man
,
also
elderly
,
and
whose
dress
proclaimed
him
an
ecclesiastic
,
sat
at
the
opposite
corner
,
with
a
large
Angora
cat
on
his
lap
.
“
I
present
to
you
,
Madame
,
”
said
Raoul
,
“
my
new-found
cousin
,
the
seventeenth
Marquis
de
Rochebriant
,
whom
I
am
proud
to
consider
on
the
male
side
the
head
of
our
house
,
representing
its
eldest
branch
.
Welcome
him
for
my
sake
,
—
in
future
he
will
be
welcome
for
his
own
.
”
The
Contessa
replied
very
graciously
to
this
introduction
,
and
made
room
for
Alain
on
the
divan
from
which
she
had
risen
.
The
old
lady
looked
up
from
her
knitting
;
the
ecclesiastic
removed
the
cat
from
his
lap
.
Said
the
old
lady
,
“
I
announce
myself
to
M
.
le
Marquis
.
I
knew
his
mother
well
enough
to
be
invited
to
his
christening
;
otherwise
I
have
no
pretension
to
the
acquaintance
of
a
cavalier
si
beau
,
being
old
,
rather
deaf
,
very
stupid
,
exceedingly
poor
—
”
“
And
,
”
interrupted
Raoul
,
“
the
woman
in
all
Paris
the
most
adored
for
bonte
,
and
consulted
for
savoir
vivre
by
the
young
cavaliers
whom
she
deigns
to
receive
.
Alain
,
I
present
you
to
Madame
de
Maury
,
the
widow
of
a
distinguished
author
and
academician
,
and
the
daughter
of
the
brave
Henri
de
Gerval
,
who
fought
for
the
good
cause
in
La
Vendee
.
I
present
you
also
to
the
Abbe
Vertpre
,
who
has
passed
his
life
in
the
vain
endeavour
to
make
other
men
as
good
as
himself
.
”
“
Base
flatterer
!
”
said
the
Abbe
,
pinching
Raoul’s
ear
with
one
hand
,
while
he
extended
the
other
to
Alain
.
“
Do
not
let
your
cousin
frighten
you
from
knowing
me
,
Monsieur
le
Marquis
;
when
he
was
my
pupil
,
he
so
convinced
me
of
the
incorrigibility
of
perverse
human
nature
,
that
I
now
chiefly
address
myself
to
the
moral
improvement
of
the
brute
creation
.
Ask
the
Contessa
if
I
have
not
achieved
a
beau
succes
with
her
Angora
cat
.
Three
months
ago
that
creature
had
the
two
worst
propensities
of
man
,
—
he
was
at
once
savage
and
mean
;
he
bit
,
he
stole
.
Does
he
ever
bite
now
?
No.
Does
he
ever
steal
?
No.
Why
?
I
have
awakened
in
that
cat
the
dormant
conscience
,
and
that
done
,
the
conscience
regulates
his
actions
;
once
made
aware
of
the
difference
between
wrong
and
right
,
the
cat
maintains
it
unswervingly
,
as
if
it
were
a
law
of
nature
.
But
if
,
with
prodigious
labour
,
one
does
awaken
conscience
in
a
human
sinner
,
it
has
no
steady
effect
on
his
conduct
,
—
he
continues
to
sin
all
the
same
.
Mankind
at
Paris
,
Monsieur
le
Marquis
,
is
divided
between
two
classes
,
-one
bites
and
the
other
steals
.
Shun
both
;
devote
yourself
to
cats
.
”
The
Abbe
delivered
this
oration
with
a
gravity
of
mien
and
tone
which
made
it
difficult
to
guess
whether
he
spoke
in
sport
or
in
earnest
,
in
simple
playfulness
or
with
latent
sarcasm
.
But
on
the
brow
and
in
the
eye
of
the
priest
there
was
a
general
expression
of
quiet
benevolence
,
which
made
Alain
incline
to
the
belief
that
he
was
only
speaking
as
a
pleasant
humourist
;
and
the
Marquis
replied
gayly
,
—
“
Monsieur
L’Abbe
,
admitting
the
superior
virtue
of
cats
when
taught
by
so
intelligent
a
preceptor
,
still
the
business
of
human
life
is
not
transacted
by
cats
;
and
since
men
must
deal
with
men
,
permit
me
,
as
a
preliminary
caution
,
to
inquire
in
which
class
I
must
rank
yourself
.
Do
you
bite
or
do
you
steal
?
”
This
sally
,
which
showed
that
the
Marquis
was
already
shaking
off
his
provincial
reserve
,
met
with
great
success
.
Raoul
and
the
Contessa
laughed
merrily
;
Madame
de
Maury
clapped
her
hands
,
and
cried
“
Bien
!
”
The
Abbe
replied
,
with
unmoved
gravity
,
“
Both
.
I
am
a
priest
;
it
is
my
duty
to
bite
the
bad
and
steal
from
the
good
,
as
you
will
see
,
Monsieur
le
Marquis
,
if
you
will
glance
at
this
paper
.
”
Here
he
handed
to
Alain
a
memorial
on
behalf
of
an
afflicted
family
who
had
been
burnt
out
of
their
home
,
and
reduced
from
comparative
ease
to
absolute
want
.
There
was
a
list
appended
of
some
twenty
subscribers
,
the
last
being
the
Contessa
,
fifty
francs
,
and
Madame
de
Maury
,
five
.
“
Allow
me
,
Marquis
,
”
said
the
Abbe
,
“
to
steal
from
you
.
Bless
you
two-fold
,
mon
fils
!
”
(
taking
the
napoleon
Alain
extended
to
him
)
“
first
for
your
charity
;
secondly
,
for
the
effect
of
its
example
upon
the
heart
of
your
cousin
.
Raoul
de
Vandemar
,
stand
and
deliver
.
Bah
!
what
!
only
ten
francs
.
”
Raoul
made
a
sign
to
the
Abbe
,
unperceived
by
the
rest
,
as
he
answered
,
“
Abbe
,
I
should
excel
your
expectations
of
my
career
if
I
always
continue
worth
half
as
much
as
my
cousin
.
”
Alain
felt
to
the
bottom
of
his
heart
the
delicate
tact
of
his
richer
kinsman
in
giving
less
than
himself
,
and
the
Abbe
replied
,
“
Niggard
,
you
are
pardoned
.
Humility
is
a
more
difficult
virtue
to
produce
than
charity
,
and
in
your
case
an
instance
of
it
is
so
rare
that
it
merits
encouragement
.
”
The
“
tea
equipage
”
was
now
served
in
what
at
Paris
is
called
the
English
fashion
;
the
Contessa
presided
over
it
,
the
guests
gathered
round
the
table
,
and
the
evening
passed
away
in
the
innocent
gayety
of
a
domestic
circle
.
The
talk
,
if
not
especially
intellectual
,
was
at
least
not
fashionable
.
Books
were
not
discussed
,
neither
were
scandals
;
yet
somehow
or
other
it
was
cheery
and
animated
,
like
that
of
a
happy
family
in
a
country-house
.
Alain
thought
still
the
better
of
Raoul
that
,
Parisian
though
he
was
,
he
could
appreciate
the
charm
of
an
evening
so
innocently
spent
.
On
taking
leave
,
the
Contessa
gave
Alain
a
general
invitation
to
drop
in
whenever
he
was
not
better
engaged
.
“
I
except
only
the
opera
nights
,
”
said
she
.
“
My
husband
has
gone
to
Milan
on
his
affairs
,
and
during
his
absence
I
do
not
go
to
parties
;
the
opera
I
cannot
resist
.
”
Raoul
set
Alain
down
at
his
lodgings
.
“
Au
revoir
;
tomorrow
at
one
o’clock
expect
Enguerrand
and
myself
.
”
CHAPTER
VII
.
Raul
and
Enguerrand
called
on
Alain
at
the
hour
fixed
.
“
In
the
first
place
,
”
said
Raoul
,
“
I
must
beg
you
to
accept
my
mother’s
regrets
that
she
cannot
receive
you
to-day
.
She
and
the
Contessa
belong
to
a
society
of
ladies
formed
for
visiting
the
poor
,
and
this
is
their
day
;
but
to-morrow
you
must
dine
with
us
en
famille
.
Now
to
business
.
Allow
me
to
light
my
cigar
while
you
confide
the
whole
state
of
affairs
to
Enguerrand
.
Whatever
he
counsels
,
I
am
sure
to
approve
.
”
Alain
,
as
briefly
as
he
could
,
stated
his
circumstances
,
his
mortgages
,
and
the
hopes
which
his
avow
had
encouraged
him
to
place
in
the
friendly
disposition
of
M
.
Louvier
.
When
he
had
concluded
,
Enguerrand
mused
for
a
few
moments
before
replying
.
At
last
he
said
,
“
Will
you
trust
me
to
call
on
Louvier
on
your
behalf
?
I
shall
but
inquire
if
he
is
inclined
to
take
on
himself
the
other
mortgages
;
and
if
so
,
on
what
terms
.
Our
relationship
gives
me
the
excuse
for
my
interference
;
and
to
say
truth
,
I
have
had
much
familiar
intercourse
with
the
man
.
I
too
am
a
speculator
,
and
have
often
profited
by
Louvier’s
advice
.
You
may
ask
what
can
be
his
object
in
serving
me
;
he
can
gain
nothing
by
it
.
To
this
I
answer
,
the
key
to
his
good
offices
is
in
his
character
.
Audacious
though
he
be
as
a
speculator
,
he
is
wonderfully
prudent
as
a
politician
.
This
belle
France
of
ours
is
like
a
stage
tumbler
;
one
can
never
be
sure
whether
it
will
stand
on
its
head
or
its
feet
.
Louvier
very
wisely
wishes
to
feel
himself
safe
whatever
party
comes
uppermost
.
He
has
no
faith
in
the
duration
of
the
Empire
;
and
as
,
at
all
events
,
the
Empire
will
not
confiscate
his
millions
,
he
takes
no
trouble
in
conciliating
Imperialists
.
But
on
the
principle
which
induces
certain
savages
to
worship
the
devil
and
neglect
the
bon
Dieu
,
because
the
devil
is
spiteful
and
the
bon
Dieu
is
too
beneficent
to
injure
them
,
Louvier
,
at
heart
detesting
as
well
as
dreading
a
republic
,
lays
himself
out
to
secure
friends
with
the
Republicans
of
all
classes
,
and
pretends
to
espouse
their
cause
;
next
to
them
,
he
is
very
conciliatory
to
the
Orleanists
;
lastly
,
though
he
thinks
the
Legitimists
have
no
chance
,
he
desires
to
keep
well
with
the
nobles
of
that
party
,
because
they
exercise
a
considerable
influence
over
that
sphere
of
opinion
which
belongs
to
fashion
,
—
for
fashion
is
never
powerless
in
Paris
.
Raoul
and
myself
are
no
mean
authorities
in
salons
and
clubs
,
and
a
good
word
from
us
is
worth
having
.
“
Besides
,
Louvier
himself
in
his
youth
set
up
for
a
dandy
;
and
that
deposed
ruler
of
dandies
,
our
unfortunate
kinsman
,
Victor
de
Mauleon
,
shed
some
of
his
own
radiance
on
the
money-lender’s
son
.
But
when
Victor’s
star
was
eclipsed
,
Louvier
ceased
to
gleam
.
The
dandies
cut
him
.
In
his
heart
he
exults
that
the
dandies
now
throng
to
his
soirees
.
“
Bref
,
the
millionaire
is
especially
civil
to
me
,
—
the
more
so
as
I
know
intimately
two
or
three
eminent
journalists
;
and
Louvier
takes
pains
to
plant
garrisons
in
the
press
.
I
trust
I
have
explained
the
grounds
on
which
I
may
be
a
better
diplomatist
to
employ
than
your
avoue
;
and
with
your
leave
I
will
go
to
Louvier
at
once
.
”
“
Let
him
go
,
”
said
Raoul
.
“
Enguerrand
never
fails
in
anything
he
undertakes
;
especially
,
”
he
added
,
with
a
smile
half
sad
,
half
tender
,
“
when
one
wishes
to
replenish
one’s
purse
.
”
“
I
too
gratefully
grant
such
an
ambassador
all
powers
to
treat
,
”
said
Alain
.
“
I
am
only
ashamed
to
consign
to
him
a
post
so
much
beneath
his
genius
,
”
and
“
his
birth
”
he
was
about
to
add
,
but
wisely
checked
himself
.
Enguerrand
said
,
shrugging
his
shoulders
,
“
You
can’t
do
me
a
greater
kindness
than
by
setting
my
wits
at
work
.
I
fall
a
martyr
to
ennui
when
I
am
not
in
action
;
”
he
said
,
and
was
gone
.
“
It
makes
me
very
melancholy
at
times
,
”
said
Raoul
,
flinging
away
the
end
of
his
cigar
,
“
to
think
that
a
man
so
clever
and
so
energetic
as
Enguerrand
should
be
as
much
excluded
from
the
service
of
his
country
as
if
he
were
an
Iroquois
Indian
.
He
would
have
made
a
great
diplomatist
.
”
“
Alas
!
”
replied
Alain
,
with
a
sigh
,
“
I
begin
to
doubt
whether
we
Legitimists
are
justified
in
maintaining
a
useless
loyalty
to
a
sovereign
who
renders
us
morally
exiles
in
the
land
of
our
birth
.
”
“
I
have
no
doubt
on
the
subject
,
”
said
Raoul
.
“
We
are
not
justified
on
the
score
of
policy
,
but
we
have
no
option
at
present
on
the
score
of
honour
.
We
should
gain
so
much
for
ourselves
if
we
adopted
the
State
livery
and
took
the
State
wages
that
no
man
would
esteem
us
as
patriots
;
we
should
only
be
despised
as
apostates
.
So
long
as
Henry
V.
lives
,
and
does
not
resign
his
claim
,
we
cannot
be
active
citizens
;
we
must
be
mournful
lookers-on
.
But
what
matters
it
?
We
nobles
of
the
old
race
are
becoming
rapidly
extinct
.
Under
any
form
of
government
likely
to
be
established
in
France
we
are
equally
doomed
.
The
French
people
,
aiming
at
an
impossible
equality
,
will
never
again
tolerate
a
race
of
gentilshommes
.
They
cannot
prevent
,
without
destroying
commerce
and
capital
altogether
,
a
quick
succession
of
men
of
the
day
,
who
form
nominal
aristocracies
much
more
opposed
to
equality
than
any
hereditary
class
of
nobles
;
but
they
refuse
these
fleeting
substitutes
of
born
patricians
all
permanent
stake
in
the
country
,
since
whatever
estate
they
buy
must
be
subdivided
at
their
death
my
poor
Alain
,
you
are
making
it
the
one
ambition
of
your
life
to
preserve
to
your
posterity
the
home
and
lands
of
your
forefathers
.
How
is
that
possible
,
even
supposing
you
could
redeem
the
mortgages
?
You
marry
some
day
;
you
have
children
,
and
Rochebriant
must
then
be
sold
to
pay
for
their
separate
portions
.
How
this
condition
of
things
,
while
rendering
us
so
ineffective
to
perform
the
normal
functions
of
a
noblesse
in
public
life
,
affects
us
in
private
life
,
may
be
easily
conceived
.
“
Condemned
to
a
career
of
pleasure
and
frivolity
,
we
can
scarcely
escape
from
the
contagion
of
extravagant
luxury
which
forms
the
vice
of
the
time
.
With
grand
names
to
keep
up
,
and
small
fortunes
whereon
to
keep
them
,
we
readily
incur
embarrassment
and
debt
.
Then
neediness
conquers
pride
.
We
cannot
be
great
merchants
,
but
we
can
be
small
gamblers
on
the
Bourse
,
or
,
thanks
to
the
Credit
Mobilier
,
imitate
a
cabinet
minister
,
and
keep
a
shop
under
another
name
.
Perhaps
you
have
heard
that
Enguerrand
and
I
keep
a
shop
.
Pray
,
buy
your
gloves
there
.
Strange
fate
for
men
whose
ancestors
fought
in
the
first
Crusade
—
mais
que
voulez-vous
?
”
“
I
was
told
of
the
shop
,
”
said
Alain
;
“
but
the
moment
I
knew
you
I
disbelieved
the
story
.
”
“
Quite
true
.
Shall
I
confide
to
you
why
we
resorted
to
that
means
of
finding
ourselves
in
pocket-money
?
My
father
gives
us
rooms
in
his
hotel
;
the
use
of
his
table
,
which
we
do
not
much
profit
by
;
and
an
allowance
,
on
which
we
could
not
live
as
young
men
of
our
class
live
at
Paris
.
Enguerrand
had
his
means
of
spending
pocket-money
,
I
mine
;
but
it
came
to
the
same
thing
,
—
the
pockets
were
emptied
.
We
incurred
debts
.
Two
years
ago
my
father
straitened
himself
to
pay
them
,
saying
,
‘The
next
time
you
come
to
me
with
debts
,
however
small
,
you
must
pay
them
yourselves
,
or
you
must
marry
,
and
leave
it
to
me
to
find
you
wives.’
This
threat
appalled
us
both
.
A
month
afterwards
,
Enguerrand
made
a
lucky
hit
at
the
Bourse
,
and
proposed
to
invest
the
proceeds
in
a
shop
.
I
resisted
as
long
as
I
could
;
but
Enguerrand
triumphed
over
me
,
as
he
always
does
.
He
found
an
excellent
deputy
in
a
bonne
who
had
nursed
us
in
childhood
,
and
married
a
journeyman
perfumer
who
understands
the
business
.
It
answers
well
;
we
are
not
in
debt
,
and
we
have
preserved
our
freedom
.
”
After
these
confessions
Raoul
went
away
,
and
Alain
fell
into
a
mournful
revery
,
from
which
he
was
roused
by
a
loud
ring
at
his
bell
.
He
opened
the
door
,
and
beheld
M
.
Louvier
.
The
burly
financier
was
much
out
of
breath
after
making
so
steep
an
ascent
.
It
was
in
gasps
that
he
muttered
,
“
Bon
jour
;
excuse
me
if
I
derange
you
.
”
Then
entering
and
seating
himself
on
a
chair
,
he
took
some
minutes
to
recover
speech
,
rolling
his
eyes
staringly
round
the
meagre
,
unluxurious
room
,
and
then
concentrating
their
gaze
upon
its
occupier
.
“
Peste
,
my
dear
Marquis
!
”
he
said
at
last
,
“
I
hope
the
next
time
I
visit
you
the
ascent
may
be
less
arduous
.
One
would
think
you
were
in
training
to
ascend
the
Himalaya
.
”
The
haughty
noble
writhed
under
this
jest
,
and
the
spirit
inborn
in
his
order
spoke
in
his
answer
.
“
I
am
accustomed
to
dwell
on
heights
,
Monsieur
Louvier
;
the
castle
of
Rochebriant
is
not
on
a
level
with
the
town
.
”
An
angry
gleam
shot
out
from
the
eyes
of
the
millionaire
,
but
there
was
no
other
sign
of
displeasure
in
his
answer
.
“
Bien
dit
,
mon
cher
;
how
you
remind
me
of
your
father
!
Now
,
give
me
leave
to
speak
on
affairs
.
I
have
seen
your
cousin
Enguerrand
de
Vandemar
.
Homme
de
moyens
,
though
joli
garcon
.
He
proposed
that
you
should
call
on
me
.
I
said
‘no’
to
the
cher
petit
Enguerrand
,
—
a
visit
from
me
was
due
to
you
.
To
cut
matters
short
,
M
.
Gandrin
has
allowed
me
to
look
into
your
papers
.
I
was
disposed
to
serve
you
from
the
first
;
I
am
still
more
disposed
to
serve
you
now
.
I
undertake
to
pay
off
all
your
other
mortgages
,
and
become
sole
mortgagee
,
and
on
terms
that
I
have
jotted
down
on
this
paper
,
and
which
I
hope
will
content
you
.
”
He
placed
a
paper
in
Alain’s
hand
,
and
took
out
a
box
,
from
which
he
extracted
a
jujube
,
placed
it
in
his
mouth
,
folded
his
hands
,
and
reclined
back
in
his
chair
,
with
his
eyes
half
closed
,
as
if
exhausted
alike
by
his
ascent
and
his
generosity
.
In
effect
,
the
terms
were
unexpectedly
liberal
.
The
reduced
interest
on
the
mortgages
would
leave
the
Marquis
an
income
of
L1
,
000
a
year
instead
of
L400
.
Louvier
proposed
to
take
on
himself
the
legal
cost
of
transfer
,
and
to
pay
to
the
Marquis
25
,
000
francs
,
on
the
completion
of
the
deed
,
as
a
bonus
.
The
mortgage
did
not
exempt
the
building-land
,
as
Hebert
desired
.
In
all
else
it
was
singularly
advantageous
,
and
Alain
could
but
feel
a
thrill
of
grateful
delight
at
an
offer
by
which
his
stinted
income
was
raised
to
comparative
affluence
.
“
Well
,
Marquis
,
”
said
Louvier
,
“
what
does
the
castle
say
to
the
town
?
”
“
Monsieur
Louvier
,
”
answered
Alain
,
extending
his
hand
with
cordial
eagerness
,
“
accept
my
sincere
apologies
for
the
indiscretion
of
my
metaphor
.
Poverty
is
proverbially
sensitive
to
jests
on
it
.
I
owe
it
to
you
if
I
cannot
hereafter
make
that
excuse
for
any
words
of
mine
that
may
displease
you
.
The
terms
you
propose
are
most
liberal
,
and
I
close
with
them
at
once
.
”
“
Bon
,
”
said
Louvier
,
shaking
vehemently
the
hand
offered
to
him
;
“
I
will
take
the
paper
to
Gandrin
,
and
instruct
him
accordingly
.
And
now
,
may
I
attach
a
condition
to
the
agreement
which
is
not
put
down
on
paper
?
It
may
have
surprised
you
perhaps
that
I
should
propose
a
gratuity
of
25
,
000
francs
on
completion
of
the
contract
.
It
is
a
droll
thing
to
do
,
and
not
in
the
ordinary
way
of
business
,
therefore
I
must
explain
.
Marquis
,
pardon
the
liberty
I
take
,
but
you
have
inspired
me
with
an
interest
in
your
future
.
With
your
birth
,
connections
,
and
figure
you
should
push
your
way
in
the
world
far
and
fast
.
But
you
can’t
do
so
in
a
province
.
You
must
find
your
opening
at
Paris
.
I
wish
you
to
spend
a
year
in
the
capital
,
and
live
,
not
extravagantly
,
like
a
nouveau
riche
,
but
in
a
way
not
unsuited
to
your
rank
,
and
permitting
you
all
the
social
advantages
that
belong
to
it
.
These
25
,
000
francs
,
in
addition
to
your
improved
income
,
will
enable
you
to
gratify
my
wish
in
this
respect
.
Spend
the
money
in
Paris
;
you
will
want
every
sou
of
it
in
the
course
of
the
year
.
It
will
be
money
well
spent
.
Take
my
advice
,
cher
Marquis
.
Au
plaisir
.
”
The
financier
bowed
himself
out
.
The
young
Marquis
forgot
all
the
mournful
reflections
with
which
Raoul’s
conversation
had
inspired
him
.
He
gave
a
new
touch
to
his
toilette
,
and
sallied
forth
with
the
air
of
a
man
on
whose
morning
of
life
a
sun
heretofore
clouded
has
burst
forth
and
bathed
the
landscape
in
its
light
.
CHAPTER
VIII
.
Since
the
evening
spent
at
the
Savarins’
,
Graham
had
seen
no
more
of
Isaura
.
He
had
avoided
all
chance
of
seeing
her
;
in
fact
,
the
jealousy
with
which
he
had
viewed
her
manner
towards
Rameau
,
and
the
angry
amaze
with
which
he
had
heard
her
proclaim
her
friendship
for
Madame
de
Grantmesnil
,
served
to
strengthen
the
grave
and
secret
reasons
which
made
him
desire
to
keep
his
heart
yet
free
and
his
hand
yet
unpledged
.
But
alas
!
the
heart
was
enslaved
already
.
It
was
under
the
most
fatal
of
all
spells
,
—
first
love
conceived
at
first
sight
.
He
was
wretched
;
and
in
his
wretchedness
his
resolves
became
involuntarily
weakened
.
He
found
himself
making
excuses
for
the
beloved
.
What
cause
had
he
,
after
all
,
for
that
jealousy
of
the
young
poet
which
had
so
offended
him
;
and
if
in
her
youth
and
inexperience
Isaura
had
made
her
dearest
friend
of
a
great
writer
by
whose
genius
she
might
be
dazzled
,
and
of
whose
opinions
she
might
scarcely
be
aware
,
was
it
a
crime
that
necessitated
her
eternal
banishment
from
the
reverence
which
belongs
to
all
manly
love
?
Certainly
he
found
no
satisfactory
answers
to
such
self-questionings
.
And
then
those
grave
reasons
known
only
to
himself
,
and
never
to
be
confided
to
another
—
why
he
should
yet
reserve
his
hand
unpledged
—
were
not
so
imperative
as
to
admit
of
no
compromise
.
They
might
entail
a
sacrifice
,
and
not
a
small
one
to
a
man
of
Graham’s
views
and
ambition
.
But
what
is
love
if
it
can
think
any
sacrifice
,
short
of
duty
and
honour
,
too
great
to
offer
up
unknown
uncomprehended
,
to
the
one
beloved
?
Still
,
while
thus
softened
in
his
feelings
towards
Isaura
,
he
became
,
perhaps
in
consequence
of
such
softening
,
more
and
more
restlessly
impatient
to
fulfil
the
object
for
which
he
had
come
to
Paris
,
the
great
step
towards
which
was
the
discovery
of
the
undiscoverable
Louise
Duval
.
He
had
written
more
than
once
to
M
.
Renard
since
the
interview
with
that
functionary
already
recorded
,
demanding
whether
Renard
had
not
made
some
progress
in
the
research
on
which
he
was
employed
,
and
had
received
short
unsatisfactory
replies
preaching
patience
and
implying
hope
.
The
plain
truth
,
however
,
was
that
M
.
Renard
had
taken
no
further
pains
in
the
matter
.
He
considered
it
utter
waste
of
time
and
thought
to
attempt
a
discovery
to
which
the
traces
were
so
faint
and
so
obsolete
.
If
the
discovery
were
effected
,
it
must
be
by
one
of
those
chances
which
occur
without
labour
or
forethought
of
our
own
.
He
trusted
only
to
such
a
chance
in
continuing
the
charge
he
had
undertaken
.
But
during
the
last
day
or
two
Graham
had
become
yet
more
impatient
than
before
,
and
peremptorily
requested
another
visit
from
this
dilatory
confidant
.
In
that
visit
,
finding
himself
pressed
hard
,
and
though
naturally
willing
,
if
possible
,
to
retain
a
client
unusually
generous
,
yet
being
on
the
whole
an
honest
member
of
his
profession
,
and
feeling
it
to
be
somewhat
unfair
to
accept
large
remuneration
for
doing
nothing
,
M
.
Renard
said
frankly
,
“
Monsieur
,
this
affair
is
beyond
me
;
the
keenest
agent
of
our
police
could
make
nothing
of
it
.
Unless
you
can
tell
me
more
than
you
have
done
,
I
am
utterly
without
a
clew
.
I
resign
,
therefore
,
the
task
with
which
you
honoured
me
,
willing
to
resume
it
again
if
you
can
give
me
information
that
could
render
me
of
use
.
”
“
What
sort
of
information
?
”
“
At
least
the
names
of
some
of
the
lady’s
relations
who
may
yet
be
living
.
”
“
But
it
strikes
me
that
,
if
I
could
get
at
that
piece
of
knowledge
,
I
should
not
require
the
services
of
the
police
.
The
relations
would
tell
me
what
had
become
of
Louise
Duval
quite
as
readily
as
they
would
tell
a
police
agent
.
”
“
Quite
true
,
Monsieur
.
It
would
really
be
picking
your
pockets
if
I
did
not
at
once
retire
from
your
service
.
Nay
,
Monsieur
,
pardon
me
,
no
further
payments
;
I
have
already
accepted
too
much
.
Your
most
obedient
servant
.
”
Graham
,
left
alone
,
fell
into
a
very
gloomy
revery
.
He
could
not
but
be
sensible
of
the
difficulties
in
the
way
of
the
object
which
had
brought
him
to
Paris
,
with
somewhat
sanguine
expectations
of
success
founded
on
a
belief
in
the
omniscience
of
the
Parisian
police
,
which
is
only
to
be
justified
when
they
have
to
deal
with
a
murderess
or
a
political
incendiary
.
But
the
name
of
Louise
Duval
is
about
as
common
in
France
as
that
of
Mary
Smith
in
England
;
and
the
English
reader
may
judge
what
would
be
the
likely
result
of
inquiring
through
the
ablest
of
our
detectives
after
some
Mary
Smith
of
whom
you
could
give
little
more
information
than
that
she
was
the
daughter
of
a
drawing-master
who
had
died
twenty
years
ago
,
that
it
was
about
fifteen
years
since
anything
had
been
heard
of
her
,
that
you
could
not
say
if
through
marriage
or
for
other
causes
she
had
changed
her
name
or
not
,
and
you
had
reasons
for
declining
resort
to
public
advertisements
.
In
the
course
of
inquiry
so
instituted
,
the
probability
would
be
that
you
might
hear
of
a
great
many
Mary
Smiths
,
in
the
pursuit
of
whom
your
employee
would
lose
all
sight
and
scent
of
the
one
Mary
Smith
for
whom
the
chase
was
instituted
.
In
the
midst
of
Graham’s
despairing
reflections
his
laquais
announced
M
.
Frederic
Lemercier
.
“
Cher
Grarm-Varn
.
A
thousand
pardons
if
I
disturb
you
at
this
late
hour
of
the
evening
;
but
you
remember
the
request
you
made
me
when
you
first
arrived
in
Paris
this
season
?
”
“
Of
course
I
do
,
—
in
case
you
should
ever
chance
in
your
wide
round
of
acquaintance
to
fall
in
with
a
Madame
or
Mademoiselle
Duval
of
about
the
age
of
forty
,
or
a
year
or
so
less
,
to
let
me
know
;
and
you
did
fall
in
with
two
ladies
of
that
name
,
but
they
were
not
the
right
one
,
not
the
person
whom
my
friend
begged
me
to
discover
;
both
much
too
young
.
”
“
Eh
bien
,
mon
cher
.
If
you
will
come
with
me
to
the
bal
champetre
in
the
Champs
Elysees
to-night
,
I
can
show
you
a
third
Madame
Duval
,
—
her
Christian
name
is
Louise
,
too
,
of
the
age
you
mention
,
—
though
she
does
her
best
to
look
younger
,
and
is
still
very
handsome
.
You
said
your
Duval
was
handsome
.
It
was
only
last
evening
that
I
met
this
lady
at
a
soiree
given
by
Mademoiselle
Julie
Caumartin
,
coryphee
distinguee
,
in
love
with
young
Rameau
.
”
“
In
love
with
young
Rameau
?
I
am
very
glad
to
hear
it
.
He
returns
the
love
?
”
“
I
suppose
so
.
He
seems
very
proud
of
it
.
But
apropos
of
Madame
Duval
,
she
has
been
long
absent
from
Paris
,
just
returned
,
and
looking
out
for
conquests
.
She
says
she
has
a
great
penchant
for
the
English
;
promises
me
to
be
at
this
ball
.
Come
.
”
“
Hearty
thanks
,
my
dear
Lemercier
.
I
am
at
your
service
.
”
CHAPTER
IX
.
The
bal
champetre
was
gay
and
brilliant
,
as
such
festal
scenes
are
at
Paris
.
A
lovely
night
in
the
midst
of
May
,
lamps
below
and
stars
above
;
the
society
mixed
,
of
course
.
Evidently
,
when
Graham
has
singled
out
Frederic
Lemercier
from
all
his
acquaintances
at
Paris
to
conjoin
with
the
official
aid
of
M
.
Renard
in
search
of
the
mysterious
lady
,
he
had
conjectured
the
probability
that
she
might
be
found
in
the
Bohemian
world
so
familiar
to
Frederic
;
if
not
as
an
inhabitant
,
at
least
as
an
explorer
.
Bohemia
was
largely
represented
at
the
bal
champetre
,
but
not
without
a
fair
sprinkling
of
what
we
call
the
“
respectable
classes
,
”
especially
English
and
Americans
,
who
brought
their
wives
there
to
take
care
of
them
.
Frenchmen
,
not
needing
such
care
,
prudently
left
their
wives
at
home
.
Among
the
Frenchmen
of
station
were
the
Comte
de
Passy
and
the
Vicomte
de
Breze
.
On
first
entering
the
gardens
,
Graham’s
eye
was
attracted
and
dazzled
by
a
brilliant
form
.
It
was
standing
under
a
festoon
of
flowers
extended
from
tree
to
tree
,
and
a
gas
jet
opposite
shone
full
upon
the
face
,
—
the
face
of
a
girl
in
all
the
freshness
of
youth
.
If
the
freshness
owed
anything
to
art
,
the
art
was
so
well
disguised
that
it
seemed
nature
.
The
beauty
of
the
countenance
was
Hebe-like
,
joyous
,
and
radiant
;
and
yet
one
could
not
look
at
the
girl
without
a
sentiment
of
deep
mournfulness
.
She
was
surrounded
by
a
group
of
young
men
,
and
the
ring
of
her
laugh
jarred
upon
Graham’s
ear
.
He
pressed
Frederic’s
arm
,
and
directing
his
attention
to
the
girl
,
asked
who
she
was
.
“
Who
?
Don’t
you
know
?
That
is
Julie
Caumartin
.
A
little
while
ago
her
equipage
was
the
most
admired
in
the
Bois
,
and
great
ladies
condescended
to
copy
her
dress
or
her
coiffure
;
but
she
has
lost
her
splendour
,
and
dismissed
the
rich
admirer
who
supplied
the
fuel
for
its
blaze
,
since
she
fell
in
love
with
Gustave
Rameau
.
Doubtless
she
is
expecting
him
to-night
.
You
ought
to
know
her
;
shall
I
present
you
?
”
“
No
,
”
answered
Graham
,
with
a
compassionate
expression
in
his
manly
face
.
“
So
young
;
seemingly
so
gay
.
How
I
pity
her
!
”
“
What
!
for
throwing
herself
away
on
Rameau
?
True
.
There
is
a
great
deal
of
good
in
that
girl’s
nature
,
if
she
had
been
properly
trained
.
Rameau
wrote
a
pretty
poem
on
her
which
turned
her
head
and
won
her
heart
,
in
which
she
is
styled
the
‘Ondine
of
Paris
,
’
—
a
nymph-like
type
of
Paris
itself
.
”
“
Vanishing
type
,
like
her
namesake
;
born
of
the
spray
,
and
vanishing
soon
into
the
deep
,
”
said
Graham
.
“
Pray
go
and
look
for
the
Duval
;
you
will
find
me
seated
yonder
.
”
Graham
passed
into
a
retired
alley
,
and
threw
himself
on
a
solitary
bench
,
while
Lemercier
went
in
search
of
Madame
Duval
.
In
a
few
minutes
the
Frenchman
reappeared
.
By
his
side
was
a
lady
well
dressed
,
and
as
she
passed
under
the
lamps
Graham
perceived
that
,
though
of
a
certain
age
,
she
was
undeniably
handsome
.
His
heart
beat
more
quickly
.
Surely
this
was
the
Louise
Duval
he
sought
.
He
rose
from
his
seat
,
and
was
presented
in
due
form
to
the
lady
,
with
whom
Frederic
then
discreetly
left
him
.
“
M
.
Lemercier
tells
me
that
you
think
that
we
were
once
acquainted
with
each
other
.
”
“
Nay
,
Madame
;
I
should
not
fail
to
recognize
you
were
that
the
case
.
A
friend
of
mine
had
the
honour
of
knowing
a
lady
of
your
name
;
and
should
I
be
fortunate
enough
to
meet
that
lady
,
I
am
charged
with
a
commission
that
may
not
be
unwelcome
to
her
.
M
.
Lemercier
tells
me
your
nom
de
bapteme
is
Louise
.
”
“
Louise
Corinne
,
Monsieur
.
”
“
And
I
presume
that
Duval
is
the
name
you
take
from
your
parents
?
”
“
No
;
my
father’s
name
was
Bernard
.
I
married
,
when
I
was
a
mere
child
,
M
.
Duval
,
in
the
wine
trade
at
Bordeaux
.
”
“
Ah
,
indeed
!
”
said
Graham
,
much
disappointed
,
but
looking
at
her
with
a
keen
,
searching
eye
,
which
she
met
with
a
decided
frankness
.
Evidently
,
in
his
judgment
,
she
was
speaking
the
truth
.
“
You
know
English
,
I
think
,
Madame
,
”
he
resumed
,
addressing
her
in
that
language
.
“
A
leetle
;
speak
un
peu
.
”
“
Only
a
little
?
”
Madame
Duval
looked
puzzled
,
and
replied
in
French
,
with
a
laugh
,
“
Is
it
that
you
were
told
that
I
spoke
English
by
your
countryman
,
Milord
Sare
Boulby
?
Petit
scelerat
,
I
hope
he
is
well
.
He
sends
you
a
commission
for
me
,
—
so
he
ought
;
he
behaved
to
me
like
a
monster
.
”
“
Alas
!
I
know
nothing
of
Milord
Sir
Boulby
.
Were
you
never
in
England
yourself
?
”
“
Never
,
”
with
a
coquettish
side-glance
;
“
I
should
like
so
much
to
go
.
I
have
a
foible
for
the
English
in
spite
of
that
vilain
petit
Boulby
.
Who
is
it
gave
you
the
commission
for
me
?
Ha
!
I
guess
,
le
Capitaine
Nelton
.
”
“
No.
What
year
,
Madame
,
if
not
impertinent
,
were
you
at
Aix-la-Chapelle
?
”
“
You
mean
Baden
?
I
was
there
seven
years
ago
,
when
I
met
le
Capitaine
Nelton
,
bel
homme
aux
cheveux
rouges
.
”
“
But
you
have
been
at
Aix
?
”
“
Never
.
”
“
I
have
,
then
,
been
mistaken
,
Madame
,
and
have
only
to
offer
my
most
humble
apologies
.
”
“
But
perhaps
you
will
favour
me
with
a
visit
,
and
we
may
on
further
conversation
find
that
you
are
not
mistaken
.
I
can’t
stay
now
,
for
I
am
engaged
to
dance
with
the
Belgian
of
whom
,
no
doubt
,
M
.
Lemercier
has
told
you
.
”
“
No
,
Madame
,
he
has
not
.
”
“
Well
,
then
,
he
will
tell
you
.
The
Belgian
is
very
jealous
;
but
I
am
always
at
home
between
three
and
four
;
this
is
my
card
.
”
Graham
eagerly
took
the
card
,
and
exclaimed
,
“
Is
this
you’re
your
own
handwriting
,
Madame
?
”
“
Yes
,
indeed
.
”
“
Tres
belle
ecriture
,
”
said
Graham
,
and
receded
with
a
ceremonious
bow
.
“
Anything
so
unlike
her
handwriting
!
Another
disappointment
,
”
muttered
the
Englishman
as
the
lady
went
back
to
the
ball
.
A
few
minutes
later
Graham
joined
Lemercier
,
who
was
talking
with
De
Passy
and
De
Breze
.
“
Well
,
”
said
Lemercier
,
when
his
eye
rested
on
Graham
,
“
I
hit
the
right
nail
on
the
head
this
time
,
eh
?
”
Graham
shook
his
head
.
“
What
!
is
she
not
the
right
Louise
Duval
?
”
“
Certainly
not
.
”
The
Count
de
Passy
overheard
the
name
,
and
turned
.
“
Louise
Duval
,
”
he
said
;
“
does
Monsieur
Vane
know
a
Louise
Duval
?
”
“
No
;
but
a
friend
asked
me
to
inquire
after
a
lady
of
that
name
whom
he
had
met
many
years
ago
at
Paris
.
”
The
Count
mused
a
moment
,
and
said
,
“
Is
it
possible
that
your
friend
knew
the
family
De
Mauleon
?
”
“
I
really
can’t
say
.
What
then
?
”
“
The
old
Vicomte
de
Mauleon
was
one
of
my
most
intimate
associates
.
In
fact
,
our
houses
are
connected
.
And
he
was
extremely
grieved
,
poor
man
,
when
his
daughter
Louise
married
her
drawing-master
,
Auguste
Duval
.
”
“
Her
drawing-master
,
Auguste
Duval
?
Pray
say
on
.
I
think
the
Louise
Duval
my
friend
knew
must
have
been
her
daughter
.
She
was
the
only
child
of
a
drawing-master
or
artist
named
Auguste
Duval
,
and
probably
enough
her
Christian
name
would
have
been
derived
from
her
mother
.
A
Mademoiselle
de
Mauleon
,
then
,
married
M
.
Auguste
Duval
?
”
“
Yes
;
the
old
Vicomte
had
espoused
en
premieres
noces
Mademoiselle
Camille
de
Chavigny
,
a
lady
of
birth
equal
to
his
own
;
had
by
her
one
daughter
,
Louise
.
I
recollect
her
well
,
—
a
plain
girl
,
with
a
high
nose
and
a
sour
expression
.
She
was
just
of
age
when
the
first
Vicomtesse
died
,
and
by
the
marriage
settlement
she
succeeded
at
once
to
her
mother’s
fortune
,
which
was
not
large
.
The
Vicomte
was
,
however
,
so
poor
that
the
loss
of
that
income
was
no
trifle
to
him
.
Though
much
past
fifty
,
he
was
still
very
handsome
.
Men
of
that
generation
did
not
age
soon
,
Monsieur
