Demoiselles Denis
charming.

CHAPTER XII.

THE DENIS FAMILY.

Madame Denis did not think it proper that two young persons as innocent
as her daughters should breakfast with a young man who, although he had
been only three days in Paris, already came in at eleven o'clock at
night, and played on the harpsichord till two in the morning. In vain
the Abbe Brigaud affirmed that this double infraction of the rules of
her house should in no degree lower her opinion of his pupil, for whom
he could answer as for himself. All he could obtain was that the young
ladies should appear at the dessert; but the chevalier soon perceived
that if their mother had ordered them not to be seen, she had not
forbidden them to be heard, for scarcely were they at table, round a
veritable devotee's breakfast, composed of a multitude of little dishes,
tempting to the eye and delicious to the palate, when the sounds of a
spinet were heard, accompanying a voice which was not wanting in
compass, but whose frequent errors of intonation showed lamentable
inexperience. At the first notes Madame Denis placed her hand on the
abbe's arm, then, after an instant's silence, during which she listened
with a pleased smile to that music which made the chevalier's flesh
creep, "Do you hear?" she said. "It is our Athenais who is playing, and
it is Emilie who sings."

The Abbe Brigaud, making signs that he heard perfectly, trod on
D'Harmental's foot under the table, to hint that this was an opportunity
for paying a compliment.

"Madame," said the chevalier, who understood this appeal to his
politeness perfectly, "we are doubly indebted to you; for you offer us
not only an excellent breakfast, but a delightful concert."

"Yes," replied Madame Denis, negligently, "it is those children: they do
not know you are here, and they are practicing; but I will go and tell
them to stop."

Madame Denis was going to rise.

"What, madame!" said D'Harmental, "because I come from Ravenne do you
believe me unworthy to make acquaintance with the talents of the
capital?"

"Heaven preserve me, monsieur, from having such an opinion of you," said
Madame Denis, maliciously, "for I know you are a musician; the lodger on
the third story told me so."

"In that case, madame, perhaps he did not give you a very high idea of
my merit," replied the chevalier, laughing, "for he did not appear to
appreciate the little I may possess."

"He only said that it appeared to him a st