ttle
girl in her arms, said to me in a serious undertone, 'We are so happy;
Monsieur Vedrine has at last got to oils.' Is it not laughable? Is it
not touching?

This piecemeal letter, dear, will show you in what a bustle and fever
I live since I have been working at my candidature. I go here and go
there, to 'at homes,' to dinner parties, to evening parties. I am even
supposed to be 'zebra' to good Madame Ancelin, because I am constant at
her drawing-room on Fridays, and on Tuesday evenings in her box at the
Francais. A very countrified 'zebra,' I am sure, in spite of the changes
I have had made to give myself a graver and more fashionable appearance.
You must look for a surprise when I come back. Last Monday there was
a select party at the Duchess Padovani's, where I had the honour to be
presented to the Grand-Duke Leopold. His Highness complimented me on
my last book, and all my books, which he knows as well as I do. It is
marvellous what foreigners do know. But it is at the Astiers' that I
am most comfortable. It is such a primitive, simple, united family. One
day, after breakfast, there arrived a new Academic coat for the master,
and we tried it on together. I say 'we,' for he wanted to see how the
palm leaves looked upon me. I put on the coat, hat, and sword, a real
sword, my dear, which comes out, and has a groove in the middle for the
blood to run away, and I assure you I was struck with my appearance; but
this I tell you only to show the intimacy of this invaluable friendship.

When I come back to my peaceful, if narrow, quarters, if it is too late
to write to you, I always do a little counting. On the full list of the
Academie I tick those of whom I am sure, and those who stand by Dalzon.
Then I do various sums in subtraction and addition. It is an excellent
amusement, as you will see when I show you. As I was telling you,
Dalzon has the 'dukes,' but the writer of the 'House of Orleans,' who is
received at Chantilly, is to introduce me there before long. If I get
on there--and with this object I am diligently studying a certain
engagement at Rocroy; so you see your brother is becoming deep--well, if
I get on, the author of 'Without the Veil, printed at Eropolis,' loses
his strongest support. As for my opinions, I do not disavow them. I am
a Republican, but not extreme, and more particularly I am a Candidate!
Immediately after this little expedition I quite expect to come back
to my darling Germaine, who will,