Bousquier from
marrying a Mademoiselle Suzanne What's-her-name. What _is_ her name, do
you know? Suzette! Though I have lodgings at Madame Lardot's, I know her
girls only by sight. If this Suzette is a tall, fine, saucy girl, with
gray eyes, a slim waist, and a pretty foot, whom I have occasionally
seen, and whose behavior always seemed to me extremely insolent, she
is far superior in manners to du Bousquier. Besides, the girl has the
nobility of beauty; from that point of view the marriage would be a poor
one for her; she might do better. You know how the Emperor Joseph had
the curiosity to see the du Barry at Luciennes. He offered her his arm
to walk about, and the poor thing was so surprised at the honor that she
hesitated to accept it: 'Beauty is ever a queen,' said the Emperor. And
he, you know, was an Austrian-German," added the chevalier. "But I can
tell you that Germany, which is thought here very rustic, is a land
of noble chivalry and fine manners, especially in Poland and Hungary,
where--"

Here the chevalier stopped, fearing to slip into some allusion to his
personal happiness; he took out his snuff-box, and confided the rest
of his remarks to the princess, who had smiled upon him for thirty-six
years and more.

"That speech was rather a delicate one for Louis XV.," said du Ronceret.

"But it was, I think, the Emperor Joseph who made it, and not Louis
XV.," remarked Mademoiselle Cormon, in a correcting tone.

"Mademoiselle," said the chevalier, observing the malicious glance
exchanged between the judge, the notary, and the recorder, "Madame du
Barry was the Suzanne of Louis XV.,--a circumstance well known to scamps
like ourselves, but unsuitable for the knowledge of young ladies. Your
ignorance proves you to be a flawless diamond; historical corruptions do
not enter your mind."

The Abbe de Sponde looked graciously at the Chevalier de Valois, and
nodded his head in sign of his laudatory approbation.

"Doesn't mademoiselle know history?" asked the recorder of mortgages.

"If you mix up Louis XV. and this girl Suzanne, how am I to know
history?" replied Mademoiselle Cormon, angelically, glad to see that the
dish of ducks was empty at last, and the conversation so ready to revive
that all present laughed with their mouths full at her last remark.

"Poor girl!" said the Abbe de Sponde. "When a great misfortune happens,
charity, which is divine love, and as blind as pagan love, ought not to
look into th