was
interesting himself at last in the d'Esgrignons. And his friends, their
hearts dead within them, praised Victurnien's conduct to the skies.
Mlle. Armande prepared the way for her nephew's sudden appearance among
them by remarking to her brother that Victurnien would be sure to come
to see them, and that he must be even then on his way.

"Bah!" said the Marquis, standing with his back to the hearth, "if he is
doing well where he is, he ought to stay there, and not be thinking
of the joy it would give his old father to see him again. The King's
service has the first claim."

Scarcely one of those present heard the words without a shudder. Justice
might give over a d'Esgrignon to the executioner's branding iron. There
was a dreadful pause. The old Marquise de Casteran could not keep back
a tear that stole down over her rouge, and turned her head away to hide
it.

Next day at noon, in the sunny weather, a whole excited population was
dispersed in groups along the high street, which ran through the heart
of the town, and nothing was talked of but the great affair. Was the
Count in prison or was he not?--All at once the Comte d'Esgrignon's
well-known tilbury was seen driving down the Rue Saint-Blaise; it had
evidently come from the Prefecture, the Count himself was on the box
seat, and by his side sat a charming young man, whom nobody recognized.
The pair were laughing and talking and in great spirits. They wore
Bengal roses in their button-holes. Altogether, it was a theatrical
surprise which words fail to describe.

At ten o'clock the court had decided to dismiss the charge, stating
their very sufficient reasons for setting the Count at liberty, in a
document which contained a thunderbolt for du Croisier, in the shape of
an _inasmuch_ that gave the Count the right to institute proceedings
for libel. Old Chesnel was walking up the Grand Rue, as if by accident,
telling all who cared to hear him that du Croisier had set the most
shameful of snares for the d'Esgrignons' honor, and that it was entirely
owing to the forbearance and magnanimity of the family that he was not
prosecuted for slander.

On the evening of that famous day, after the Marquis d'Esgrignon had
gone to bed, the Count, Mlle. Armande, and the Chevalier were left with
the handsome young page, now about to return to Paris. The charming
cavalier's sex could not be hidden from the Chevalier, and he alone,
besides the three officials and Mme. Camusot, knew