ect."

With that he went back to the drawing-room, and did not even wish
the notary good-evening. For a moment that worthy stood dumfounded,
bewildered, utterly at a loss. Then, when the buzzing in his ears
subsided, he thought he heard someone moaning in the next room.
Footsteps came and went, and bells were violently rung. He was by no
means anxious to meet the Marquis again, and found the use of his
legs to make good his escape, only to run against a hurrying crowd of
servants at the door.

"Just the way of all these grand folk," said he to himself outside in
the street as he looked about for a cab. "They lead you on to talk with
compliments, and you think you are amusing them. Not a bit of it. They
treat you insolently; put you at a distance; even put you out at the
door without scruple. After all, I talked very cleverly, I said nothing
but what was sensible, well turned, and discreet; and, upon my word, he
advises me to be more circumspect in future. I will take good care
of that! Eh! the mischief take it! I am a notary and a member of my
chamber!--Pshaw! it was an ambassador's fit of temper, nothing is sacred
for people of that kind. To-morrow he shall explain what he meant by
saying that I had done nothing but blunder and talk nonsense in his
house. I will ask him for an explanation--that is, I will ask him
to explain my mistake. After all is done and said, I am in the wrong
perhaps---- Upon my word, it is very good of me to cudgel my brains like
this. What business is it of mine?"

So the notary went home and laid the enigma before his spouse, with a
complete account of the evening's events related in sequence.

And she replied, "My dear Crottat, His Excellency was perfectly right
when he said that you had done nothing but blunder and talk folly."

"Why?"

"My dear, if I told you why, it would not prevent you from doing the
same thing somewhere else to-morrow. I tell you again--talk of nothing
but business when you go out; that is my advice to you."

"If you will not tell me, I shall ask him to-morrow--"

"Why, dear me! the veriest noodle is careful to hide a thing of that
kind, and do you suppose that an ambassador will tell you about
it? Really, Crottat, I have never known you so utterly devoid of
common-sense."

"Thank you, my dear."

V. TWO MEETINGS

One of Napoleon's orderly staff-officers, who shall be known in this
history only as the General or the Marquis, had come to spend the sprin