perfectly aware of it. See what a savage
look he casts at his dear colleague in the pauses of his scientific
harangue! What venom is in every deeply graven hollow of his porous,
pumice-stone face!

Handsome Danjou is also furious, but for other reasons than the Baron.
The Duchess has not asked his wife. The exclusion is painful to his
feelings as a husband, a part of a man no less sensitive than the
original _ego_; and in spite of his wish to shine before the Grand-Duke,
the witticisms as good as new, which he was prepared with, will not go
off. Another who does not feel comfortable is Delpech the chemist, whom
His Highness, when he was presented, congratulated on his interpretation
of the cuneiform character, confounding him with his colleague of the
Academie des Inscriptions. It should be said that, with the exception
of Danjou, whose comedies are popular abroad, the Grand-Duke has never
heard of any of the Academic celebrities introduced to him at this
dinner. Lavaux this very morning, in concert with the Aide-de-camp,
arranged a set of cards bearing each the name of a guest with the titles
of his principal works. The fact that His Highness did not get more
confused among the list than he did proves much presence of mind and
an Imperial memory. But the evening is not over, and other stars of
learning are about to appear. Already may be heard the muffled rolling
of wheels and the slamming of carriages putting down at the door. The
Prince will have more chances yet.

Meanwhile, in a weak, slow voice, seeking for words and losing half of
them in his nose, His Highness is discussing with Astier-Rehu a point
of history suggested by the letter of Catherine II. The ewers have long
completed the round, no one is eating or drinking any more, no one
is even breathing, for fear of interrupting the conversation; all
the company are in a hypnotic trance, and--a remarkable effect of
levitation--are literally hanging upon the Imperial lips. Suddenly
the august nose is silent, and Leonard Astier, who has made a show of
resistance in order to improve the effect of his opponent's victory,
throws up his arms like broken foils and says with an air of surrender,
'Ah, Your Highness has mated me!' The charm is broken, the company
feel the ground under them again, everyone rises in a slight flutter of
applause, the doors are thrown open, the Duchess takes the arm of the
Grand-Duke, Mourad Bey that of the Baroness, and while, with a sound o