he happiest, ever induces them to neglect the summons of the
dinner-bell, and the calls of the responsive appetite.

In the midst of the delight of madame, at having at last to receive the
brother of _cette chere Valerie_, and that brother, too, _si bel homme
et brave officier, et d'une ressemblance si parfaite a la charmante
soeur_, dinner was luckily announced; and the torrent-tide of madame's
hospitality was cut short, by her husband's declaration that we were
all, like himself, dying of hunger; and that not a word more must be
spoken, touching sympathies or sentiments, until we had partaken of
something nutritious _de quoi soutenir l'epuisement des emotions si
dechirantes_.

Madame laughed, declared that he was _un barbare, un malheureux sans
grandeur de l'ame_, and taking possession of Auguste, led him away into
the dining-room: where, though she told me afterwards that she was _au
comble de desespoir_ at having to sit us down to so everyday a meal, we
found an excellent dinner, and spent a very pleasant hour, until coffee
was served; when, with it, not a little to my surprise, nor very much to
my delight, Monsieur de Chavannes made his appearance.

There was a quizzical look on Monsieur Gironac's face, and a roguish
twinkle in his eye, which led me to believe that what was really a
matter of surprise to me, was none to my worthy host; for the Count de
Chavannes had never visited the house before, in the evening; nor, from
what I had understood, was he on terms of particular intimacy with the
Gironacs.

I was foolish enough to be, at first, a little put out at this; and,
having manifested some slight embarrassment on his first entrance, which
I learned afterwards, did not escape his eye, though he was far too
well-bred to show it, I made the matter worse by calling my pride to my
aid, incited thereto by Madame Gironac's glance and smile at my blushing
confusion, and certainly in no respect contributed to the gaiety of the
evening. Nothing, however, I must admit, could have been more
gentlemanly or in better taste, than the whole demeanour of Monsieur de
Chavannes, and I could not help feeling this, and comparing it mentally
with the inferior bearing of others I had seen, even in the midst of my
fit of _hauteur_ and frigidity.

He neither immediately withdrew himself on learning that my brother,
whom I had not seen for many years, had but just arrived as any
half-bred person would have done under the like circ