e sea of feeling she passed before she
accepted you. As she stood there in front of you the other day, she
plunged into it. She said 'Why not?' to something which, a few hours
earlier, had been inconceivable. She turned about on a thousand gathered
prejudices and traditions as on a pivot, and looked where she had never
looked hitherto. When I think of it--when I think of Claire de Cintre
and all that she represents, there seems to me something very fine in
it. When I recommended you to try your fortune with her I of course
thought well of you, and in spite of your sins I think so still. But I
confess I don't see quite what you are and what you have done, to make
such a woman do this sort of thing for you."

"Oh, there is something very fine in it!" said Newman with a laugh,
repeating her words. He took an extreme satisfaction in hearing that
there was something fine in it. He had not the least doubt of it
himself, but he had already begun to value the world's admiration of
Madame de Cintre, as adding to the prospective glory of possession.

It was immediately after this conversation that Valentin de Bellegarde
came to conduct his friend to the Rue de l'Universite to present him to
the other members of his family. "You are already introduced," he said,
"and you have begun to be talked about. My sister has mentioned your
successive visits to my mother, and it was an accident that my mother
was present at none of them. I have spoken of you as an American of
immense wealth, and the best fellow in the world, who is looking for
something very superior in the way of a wife."

"Do you suppose," asked Newman, "that Madame de Cintre has related to
your mother the last conversation I had with her?"

"I am very certain that she has not; she will keep her own counsel.
Meanwhile you must make your way with the rest of the family. Thus much
is known about you: you have made a great fortune in trade, you are
a little eccentric, and you frankly admire our dear Claire. My
sister-in-law, whom you remember seeing in Madame de Cintre's
sitting-room, took, it appears, a fancy to you; she has described you as
having beaucoup de cachet. My mother, therefore, is curious to see you."

"She expects to laugh at me, eh?" said Newman.

"She never laughs. If she does not like you, don't hope to purchase
favor by being amusing. Take warning by me!"

This conversation took place in the evening, and half an hour later
Valentin ushered his compani