habitants, with the ease of a man, who had long considered it to be
his own. His friend Cavigni, who had been extremely serviceable,
in having paid Madame Cheron the attention and flattery, which she
required, but from which Montoni too often revolted, had apartments
assigned to him, and received from the domestics an equal degree of
obedience with the master of the mansion.

Within a few days, Madame Montoni, as she had promised, gave a
magnificent entertainment to a very numerous company, among whom was
Valancourt; but at which Madame Clairval excused herself from attending.
There was a concert, ball and supper. Valancourt was, of course, Emily's
partner, and though, when he gave a look to the decorations of the
apartments, he could not but remember, that they were designed for
other festivities, than those they now contributed to celebrate, he
endeavoured to check his concern by considering, that a little
while only would elapse before they would be given to their original
destination. During this evening, Madame Montoni danced, laughed
and talked incessantly; while Montoni, silent, reserved and somewhat
haughty, seemed weary of the parade, and of the frivolous company it had
drawn together.

This was the first and the last entertainment, given in celebration
of their nuptials. Montoni, though the severity of his temper and the
gloominess of his pride prevented him from enjoying such festivities,
was extremely willing to promote them. It was seldom, that he could meet
in any company a man of more address, and still seldomer one of more
understanding, than himself; the balance of advantage in such parties,
or in the connections, which might arise from them, must, therefore, be
on his side; and, knowing, as he did, the selfish purposes, for which
they are generally frequented, he had no objection to measure his
talents of dissimulation with those of any other competitor for
distinction and plunder. But his wife, who, when her own interest was
immediately concerned, had sometimes more discernment than vanity,
acquired a consciousness of her inferiority to other women, in personal
attractions, which, uniting with the jealousy natural to the discovery,
counteracted his readiness for mingling with all the parties Tholouse
could afford. Till she had, as she supposed, the affections of an
husband to lose, she had no motive for discovering the unwelcome truth,
and it had never obtruded itself upon her; but, now that it influ