e turned to Newman with an
inimitable elderly grace.

"Monsieur is by no means the first American that I have seen," he said.
"Almost the first person I ever saw--to notice him--was an American."

"Ah?" said Newman, sympathetically.

"The great Dr. Franklin," said M. de la Rochefidele. "Of course I was
very young. He was received very well in our monde."

"Not better than Mr. Newman," said Madame de Bellegarde. "I beg he
will offer his arm into the other room. I could have offered no higher
privilege to Dr. Franklin."

Newman, complying with Madame de Bellegarde's request, perceived that
her two sons had returned to the drawing-room. He scanned their faces
an instant for traces of the scene that had followed his separation from
them, but the marquise seemed neither more nor less frigidly grand than
usual, and Valentin was kissing ladies' hands with at least his habitual
air of self-abandonment to the act. Madame de Bellegarde gave a glance
at her eldest son, and by the time she had crossed the threshold of
her boudoir he was at her side. The room was now empty and offered
a sufficient degree of privacy. The old lady disengaged herself from
Newman's arm and rested her hand on the arm of the marquis; and in this
position she stood a moment, holding her head high and biting her small
under-lip. I am afraid the picture was lost upon Newman, but Madame de
Bellegarde was, in fact, at this moment a striking image of the dignity
which--even in the case of a little time-shrunken old lady--may reside
in the habit of unquestioned authority and the absoluteness of a social
theory favorable to yourself.

"My son has spoken to you as I desired," she said, "and you understand
that we shall not interfere. The rest will lie with yourself."

"M. de Bellegarde told me several things I didn't understand," said
Newman, "but I made out that. You will leave me open field. I am much
obliged."

"I wish to add a word that my son probably did not feel at liberty to
say," the marquise rejoined. "I must say it for my own peace of mind. We
are stretching a point; we are doing you a great favor."

"Oh, your son said it very well; didn't you?" said Newman.

"Not so well as my mother," declared the marquis.

"I can only repeat--I am much obliged."

"It is proper I should tell you," Madame de Bellegarde went on, "that I
am very proud, and that I hold my head very high. I may be wrong, but
I am too old to change. At least I know it, and I d