"'Pon my word, yes, if only you can find me an heiress in these rustic
parts! There must be delightful women hereabouts."
The old lady rendered equal thanks to Daguenet and Fauchery for having
been so good as to accept her son's invitation, and then to her great
and joyful surprise she saw the Marquis de Chouard enter the room. A
third carriage had brought him.
"Dear me, you've made this your trysting place today!" she cried.
"You've passed word round! But what's happening? For years I've never
succeeded in bringing you all together, and now you all drop in at once.
Oh, I certainly don't complain."
Another place was laid. Fauchery found himself next the Countess
Sabine, whose liveliness and gaiety surprised him when he remembered
her drooping, languid state in the austere Rue Miromesnil drawing room.
Daguenet, on the other hand, who was seated on Estelle's left, seemed
slightly put out by his propinquity to that tall, silent girl. The
angularity of her elbows was disagreeable to him. Muffat and Chouard
had exchanged a sly glance while Vandeuvres continued joking about his
coming marriage.
"Talking of ladies," Mme Hugon ended by saying, "I have a new neighbor
whom you probably know.
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