of the bishop's escaped him.

After Father Benart came the bishop, a fine, large, well-built,
handsome man, enveloped in a huge purple velvet mantle. He stepped
gingerly as if afraid of giving his dignity a jolt. The two Chevernys
greeted him respectfully, to which the bishop replied with amiable
condescension. Then came the meeting with his arch enemy, Madame
Riano, which was highly courteous on the bishop's side, but a little
brusque on the part of Madame Riano. The sight of the bishop's coach
and velvet mantle and grand airs seemed to stir the Scotch lady's
blood instantly to the boiling point.

Francezka was all youthful grace and courtesy, and no man not an ogre
could fail to be charmed with her. Then Count Saxe as Count Moritz was
presented to the bishop, and myself later; Jacques Haret had known him
always and assumed a hail-fellow-well-met air with this pompous
ecclesiastic, which was evidently disconcerting to him. But the bishop
was no match for Jacques.

As I am to be judged at the last day, I will swear that the bishop was
no more impressed by Count Saxe than if that immortal man had been the
cat's aunt, as the peasants say; passed him by with a negligent nod,
to which Count Saxe returned a bow so low and with such a sparkling
light of laughter in his eyes that only a wind-blown dullard like this
bishop would have failed to perceive that he was a man of consequence
in disguise. The little priest had seen all along that Count Saxe was
a personage, and treated him always with the greatest deference.

The bishop was escorted to the red saloon and placed in a large gilt
chair--he was the sort of man to like large gilt chairs. Madame Riano
seated herself on one side of him, and Francezka, beautifully demure
and well behaved, sat on the other side. The rest of us grouped
ourselves around in a half moon. The bishop, after having formally
inquired after Madame Riano's health, with the air of a Christian and
a martyr blessing his enemies, turned to Francezka with the most
entire change of countenance, benignance shining forth effulgent, and
asked after her welfare and travels. To this Francezka responded
properly. Then both of the belligerents, unable to restrain their
martial ardor longer, broke the truce. Here is the conversation that
ensued between the bishop and Madame Riano, the rest of us maintaining
our composure and a strict neutrality.

The bishop: "Madame Riano, I hope, under God, you are well and in g