fessor."

Jacques Ferrand rang, and the clerk appeared.

"Show Madame d'Orbigny in." Then, addressing the viscount, "Take these
thirteen hundred francs, sir; they will be something towards an
arrangement with M. Petit-Jean."

Madame d'Orbigny (formerly Madame Roland) entered at the moment when M.
de Saint-Remy went out, his features convulsed with rage at having so
uselessly humiliated himself before the notary.

"Ah, good day, M. de Saint-Remy," said Madame d'Orbigny; "what a time it
is since I saw you!"

"Why, madame, since D'Harville's marriage, at which I was present, I do
not think I have had the pleasure of meeting you," said M. de
Saint-Remy, bowing, and assuming an affable and smiling demeanour. "You
have remained in Normandy ever since, I think?"

"Why, yes! M. d'Orbigny will only live in the country, and what he likes
I like; so you see in me a complete country wife. I have not been in
Paris since the marriage of my dear stepdaughter with that excellent M.
d'Harville. Do you see him frequently?"

"D'Harville has grown very sullen and morose; he is seldom seen in the
world," said M. de Saint-Remy, with something like impatience, for the
conversation was most irksome to him, both because of its untimeliness
and that the notary seemed amused at it; but Madame d'Harville's
stepmother, enchanted at thus meeting with a dandy of the first water,
was not the woman to allow her prey to escape her so easily.

"And my dear stepdaughter," she continued,--"she, I hope, is not as
morose as her husband?"

"Madame d'Harville is all the fashion, and has the world at her feet, as
a lovely woman should have. But I take up your time, and--"

"Not at all, I assure you. It is quite agreeable to me to meet the
'observed of all observers,'--the monarch of fashion,--for, in ten
minutes, I shall be as _au fait_ of Paris as if I had never left it. And
your dear M. de Lucenay, who was also present at M. d'Harville's
marriage?"

"A still greater oddity. He has been travelling in the East, and
returned in time to receive a sword-wound yesterday,--nothing serious,
though."

"Poor dear duke! And his wife, always lovely and fascinating?"

"Madame, I have the honour to be one of her profoundest admirers, and my
testimony would, therefore, be received with suspicion. I beg, on your
return to Aubiers, you will not forget my regards to M. d'Orbigny."

"He will, I am sure, be most sensible of your kindness; he often talks
of you,