, monsieur," said Madame de Portenduere, making
a visible effort; "a journey to Paris, at your age, in quest of a
prodigal, is--"

"Madame, I had the honor to meet, in '65, the illustrious Admiral de
Portenduere in the house of that excellent Monsieur de Malesherbes, and
also in that of Monsieur le Comte de Buffon, who was anxious to question
him on some curious results of his voyages. Possibly Monsieur de
Portenduere, your late husband, was present. Those were the glorious
days of the French navy; it bore comparison with that of Great Britain,
and its officers had their full quota of courage. With what impatience
we awaited in '83 and '84 the news from St. Roch. I came very near
serving as surgeon in the king's service. Your great-uncle, who is still
living, Admiral Kergarouet, fought his splendid battle at that time in
the 'Belle-Poule.'"

"Ah! if he did but know his great-nephew is in prison!"

"He would not leave him there a day," said old Minoret, rising.

He held out his hand to take that of the old lady, which she allowed him
to do; then he kissed it respectfully, bowed profoundly, and left the
room; but returned immediately to say:--

"My dear abbe, may I ask you to engage a place in the diligence for me
to-morrow?"

The abbe stayed behind for half an hour to sing the praises of his
friend, who meant to win and had succeeded in winning the good graces of
the old lady.

"He is an astonishing man for his age," she said. "He talks of going to
Paris and attending to my son's affairs as if he were only twenty-five.
He has certainly seen good society."

"The very best, madame; and to-day more than one son of a peer of France
would be glad to marry his goddaughter with a million. Ah! if that
idea should come into Savinien's head!--times are so changed that the
objections would not come from your side, especially after his late
conduct--"

The amazement into which the speech threw the old lady alone enabled him
to finish it.

"You have lost your senses," she said at last.

"Think it over, madame; God grant that your son may conduct himself in
future in a manner to win that old man's respect."

"If it were not you, Monsieur l'abbe," said Madame de Portenduere, "if
it were any one else who spoke to me in that way--"

"You would not see him again," said the abbe, smiling. "Let us hope that
your dear son will enlighten you as to what occurs in Paris in these
days as to marriages. You will think only of Savi