He laughed and was effusively affectionate toward
her, as though she had had a hand in his sudden good fortune.
"Thank you," she said, sitting down near the fireplace. "You see, it's
my old corner."
"You know him?" queried Mme du Joncquoy, when Daguenet had gone.
"Certainly I do--a charming young man. Georges is very fond of him. Oh,
they're a most respected family."
And the good lady defended him against the mute hostility which was
apparent to her. His father, held in high esteem by Louis Philippe, had
been a PREFET up to the time of his death. The son had been a little
dissipated, perhaps; they said he was ruined, but in any case, one
of his uncles, who was a great landowner, was bound to leave him his
fortune. The ladies, however, shook their heads, while Mme Hugon,
herself somewhat embarrassed, kept harking back to the extreme
respectability of his family. She was very much fatigued and complained
of her feet. For some months she had been occupying her house in the Rue
Richelieu, having, as she said, a whole lot of things on hand. A look of
sorrow overshadowed her smiling, motherly face.
"Never mind," Mme Chantereau concluded. "Estelle could have aimed at
something much better.
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