e of piquet. His father-in-law, who had been promoted to
a judgeship in one of the Paris courts, had been a foeman worthy of his
steel; "but I am afraid," laughed Rouher, "that his exaggerated
admiration for me affects his play."

Rouher was right; M. Conchon was inordinately proud of his son-in-law.
He lived, as it were, in the Minister of State's reflected glory. His
great delight was to go shopping, in order to have the satisfaction of
saying to the tradesmen, "You'll have this sent to my son-in-law, M.
Rouher." The stir and bustle of the Paris streets confused him to the
last, but he did not mind it, seeing that it afforded him an opportunity
of inquiring his way. "I want to get back to the Ministry of State--to
my son-in-law, M. Rouher." It was not snobbishness; it was sheer
unadulterated admiration of the man to whom he had somewhat reluctantly
given his daughter.

CHAPTER XIV.

Society during the Second Empire -- The Court at Compiegne -- The
English element -- Their opinion of Louis-Napoleon -- The
difference between the court of Louis-Philippe and that of
Napoleon III. -- The luggage of M. Villemain -- The hunts in
Louis-Philippe's time -- Louis-Napoleon's advent -- Would have
made a better poet than an Emperor -- Looks for a La Valliere or
Montespan, and finds Mdlle. Eugenie de Montijo -- The latter
determined not to be a La Valliere or even a Pompadour -- Has her
great destiny foretold in her youth -- Makes up her mind that it
shall be realized by a right-handed and not a left-handed
marriage -- Queen Victoria stands her sponsor among the
sovereigns of Europe -- Mdlle. de Montijo's mother -- The
Comtesse de Montijo and Halevy's "Madame Cardinal" -- The first
invitations to Compiegne -- Mdlle. de Montijo's backers for the
Imperial stakes -- No other entries -- Louis-Napoleon utters the
word "marriage" -- What led up to it -- The Emperor officially
announces his betrothal -- The effect it produced -- The Faubourg
St.-Germain -- Dupin the elder gives his views -- The engaged
couple feel very uncomfortable -- Negotiations to organize the
Empress's future household -- Rebuffs -- Louis Napoleon's retorts
-- Mdlle. de Montijo's attempt at wit and sprightliness -- Her
iron will -- Her beauty -- Her marriage -- She takes
Marie-Antoinette for her model -- She fondly imagines that she
was bor