t
know that I have spoken in your favor; you owe me a famous taper!"

"You have spoken to Madame de Cintre?" said Newman.

"Oh no, not that. You may think it strange, but my sister-in-law and
I are not so intimate as that. No; I spoke to my husband and my
mother-in-law; I said I was sure we could do what we chose with you."

"I am much, obliged to you," said Newman, laughing; "but you can't."

"I know that very well; I didn't believe a word of it. But I wanted you
to come into the house; I thought we should be friends."

"I am very sure of it," said Newman.

"Don't be too sure. If you like Madame de Cintre so much, perhaps you
will not like me. We are as different as blue and pink. But you and I
have something in common. I have come into this family by marriage; you
want to come into it in the same way."

"Oh no, I don't!" interrupted Newman. "I only want to take Madame de
Cintre out of it."

"Well, to cast your nets you have to go into the water. Our positions
are alike; we shall be able to compare notes. What do you think of my
husband? It's a strange question, isn't it? But I shall ask you some
stranger ones yet."

"Perhaps a stranger one will be easier to answer," said Newman. "You
might try me."

"Oh, you get off very well; the old Comte de la Rochefidele, yonder,
couldn't do it better. I told them that if we only gave you a chance you
would be a perfect talon rouge. I know something about men. Besides, you
and I belong to the same camp. I am a ferocious democrat. By birth I am
vieille roche; a good little bit of the history of France is the history
of my family. Oh, you never heard of us, of course! Ce que c'est que
la gloire! We are much better than the Bellegardes, at any rate. But
I don't care a pin for my pedigree; I want to belong to my time. I'm a
revolutionist, a radical, a child of the age! I am sure I go beyond you.
I like clever people, wherever they come from, and I take my amusement
wherever I find it. I don't pout at the Empire; here all the world pouts
at the Empire. Of course I have to mind what I say; but I expect to
take my revenge with you." Madame de Bellegarde discoursed for some time
longer in this sympathetic strain, with an eager abundance which seemed
to indicate that her opportunities for revealing her esoteric philosophy
were indeed rare. She hoped that Newman would never be afraid of her,
however he might be with the others, for, really, she went very far
indeed. "Strong peop