he had once declared,
the word "Disdain" was engraved. After reaching that point she was able,
in the character of uninterested spectator, to take part in what she was
pleased to call the "farce of the suitors," a performance in which she
herself was about to play the role of heroine. She particularly set
before her mind the satisfaction of humiliating Monsieur de La Briere.

"Modeste is saved," said Madame Mignon to her husband; "she wants to
revenge herself on the false Canalis by trying to love the real one."

Such in truth was Modeste's plan. It was so utterly commonplace that her
mother, to whom she confided her griefs, advised her on the contrary to
treat Monsieur de La Briere with extreme politeness.

CHAPTER XVII. A THIRD SUITOR

"Those two young men," said Madame Latournelle, on the Saturday evening,
"have no idea how many spies they have on their tracks. We are eight in
all, on the watch."

"Don't say two young men, wife; say three!" cried little Latournelle,
looking round him. "Gobenheim is not here, so I can speak out."

Modeste raised her head, and everybody, imitating Modeste, raised theirs
and looked at the notary.

"Yes, a third lover--and he is something like a lover--offers himself as
a candidate."

"Bah!" exclaimed the colonel.

"I speak of no less a person," said Latournelle, pompously, "than
Monsieur le Duc d'Herouville, Marquis de Saint-Sever, Duc de Nivron,
Comte de Bayeux, Vicomte d'Essigny, grand equerry and peer of France,
knight of the Spur and the Golden Fleece, grandee of Spain, and son of
the last governor of Normandy. He saw Mademoiselle Modeste at the time
when he was staying with the Vilquins, and he regretted then--as his
notary, who came from Bayeux yesterday, tells me--that she was not
rich enough for him; for his father recovered nothing but the estate of
Herouville on his return to France, and that is saddled with a sister.
The young duke is thirty-three years old. I am definitively charged to
lay these proposals before you, Monsieur le comte," added the notary,
turning respectfully to the colonel.

"Ask Modeste if she wants another bird in her cage," replied the count;
"as far as I am concerned, I am willing that my lord the grand equerry
shall pay her attention."

Notwithstanding the care with which Charles Mignon avoided seeing
people, and though he stayed in the Chalet and never went out without
Modeste, Gobenheim had reported Dumay's wealth; for Dumay had sai