nidoff looked her surprise.

Thomery replied, with a touch of malice:

"Monsieur Fandor is like myself--the Tonkinoise is more to his taste!"

"More than Wagner's operatic big guns!" finished Fandor.

Then turning to the Princess who still wore her air of surprise:

"Yes, Princess, I confess it--my taste in music is deplorable: it comes
from absolute ignorance. I do not understand these modern
symphonies--the simple romantic suits me best!"

"And that is?" ... queried Nanteuil:

"Just some music-hall air or ditty," answered Fandor with a smile as
frank as his confession.

The Princess was amused at this little pseudo-artistic discussion. She
was about to speak when a couple of waltzers broke into the group and
scattered it.

Jerome Fandor slipped away and wandered through the gorgeous reception
rooms. Here and there, when caught up in the throng and forced to halt,
or when pressed against the wall of the ball-room, scraps of
conversation, mingled with the strains of the Hungarian band, fell on
his retentive ears. He took refuge at last in the embrasure of a window;
but his retreat was soon invaded by two young men who, he gathered, had
run across each other in the gallery, and were continuing their talk
about old times and new.

"Come, tell me, dear Charley, what has been happening to you since we
left the school?"

"Bah! I go from the Madeleine to the Opera nearly every evening, and
then back again; I go to bed late and get up late; I go out a good deal,
as you see; sometimes I dance, but very rarely; I often play bridge ...
and that is about all! It's not very interesting; but you, old boy ... I
heard you had got a jolly good billet, my dear Andral!"

"Oh, hardly that, dear fellow; but I am well on the way to one, I
fancy. I had the good luck to be introduced to Thomery, and it so
happened he was wanting a young engineer for one of his sugar
plantations in San Domingo."

"Good Lord! At San Domingo, among the niggers?"

"That's right! Not so bad, though it and the boulevards are a few miles
apart! But, on the other hand, I am interested in my work, and I am
married to a charming woman--Spanish."

"Won't you introduce me to your wife?"

"When we are nearer to her, old fellow! I came to Paris by myself to
talk big business with Thomery. I am only here for a fortnight.... Now
do point out some of the celebrities--you know everybody!"

Charley adjusted his eyeglass and looked about the room:

"Ah, th