millions；〃　she　thought；〃provided　Mademoiselle　Mignon　is　as　ugly　as
  he　says　she　is。〃
  Three　raps；　circumspectly　given；　announced　the　duke；　and　his　wife　went
  herself　to　the　door　to　let　him　in。
  〃Ah！　I　see　you　are　better；　my　dear；〃　he　cried；　with　the　counterfeit
  joy　that　courtiers　assume　so　readily；　and　by　which　fools　are　so
  readily　taken　in。
  〃My　dear　Henri；〃　she　answered；　〃why　is　it　you　have　not　yet　obtained
  that　appointment　for　Melchior；you　who　sacrificed　so　much　to　the　king
  in　taking　a　ministry　which　you　knew　could　only　last　one　year。〃
  The　duke　glanced　at　Philoxene；　who　showed　him　by　an　almost
  imperceptible　sign　the　letter　from　Havre　on　the　dressing…table。
  〃You　would　be　terribly　bored　at　Baden　and　come　back　at　daggers　drawn
  with　Melchior；〃　said　the　duke。
  〃Pray　why？〃
  〃Why；　you　would　always　be　together；〃　said　the　former　diplomat；　with
  comic　good…humor。
  〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　going　to　marry　him。〃
  〃If　we　can　believe　d'Herouville；　our　dear　Canalis　stands　in　no　need　of
  your　help　in　that　direction；〃　said　the　duke；　smiling。　〃Yesterday
  Grandlieu　read　me　some　passages　from　a　letter　the　grand　equerry　had
  written　him。　No　doubt　they　were　dictated　by　the　aunt　for　the　express
  purpose　of　their　reaching　you；　for　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　always
  on　the　scent　of　a　'dot；'　knows　that　Grandlieu　and　I　play　whist　nearly
  every　evening。　That　good　little　d'Herouville　wants　the　Prince　de
  Cadignan　to　go　down　and　give　a　royal　hunt　in　Normandy；　and　endeavor　to
  persuade　the　king　to　be　present；　so　as　to　turn　the　head　of　the　damozel
  when　she　sees　herself　the　object　of　such　a　grand　affair。　In　short；　two
  words　from　Charles　X。　would　settle　the　matter。　D'Herouville　says　the
  girl　has　incomparable　beauty〃
  〃Henri；　let　us　go　to　Havre！〃　cried　the　duchess；　interrupting　him。
  〃Under　what　pretext？〃　said　her　husband；　gravely；　he　was　one　of　the
  confidants　of　Louis　XVIII。
  〃I　never　saw　a　hunt。〃
  〃It　would　be　all　very　well　if　the　king　went；　but　it　is　a　terrible　bore
  to　go　so　far；　and　he　will　not　do　it；　I　have　just　been　speaking　with
  him　about　it。〃
  〃Perhaps　MADAME　would　go？〃
  〃That　would　be　better；〃　returned　the　duke；　〃I　dare　say　the　Duchesse　de
  Maufrigneuse　would　help　you　to　persuade　her　from　Rosny。　If　she　goes
  the　king　will　not　be　displeased　at　the　use　of　his　hunting　equipage。
  Don't　go　to　Havre；　my　dear；〃　added　the　duke；　paternally；　〃that　would
  be　giving　yourself　away。　Come；　here's　a　better　plan；　I　think。
  Gaspard's　chateau　of　Rosembray　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　forest　of
  Brotonne；　why　not　give　him　a　hint　to　invite　the　whole　party？〃
  〃He　invite　them？〃　said　Eleonore。
  〃I　mean；　of　course；　the　duchess；　she　is　always　engaged　in　pious　works
  with　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　give　that　old　maid　a　hint；　and　get　her
  to　speak　to　Gaspard。〃
  〃You　are　a　love　of　a　man；〃　cried　Eleonore；　〃I'll　write　to　the　old　maid
  and　to　Diane　at　once；　for　we　must　get　hunting　things　made；a　riding
  hat　is　so　becoming。　Did　you　win　last　night　at　the　English　embassy？〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　the　duke；　〃I　cleared　myself。〃
  〃Henri；　above　all　things；　stop　proceedings　about　Melchior's　two
  appointments。〃
  After　writing　half　a　dozen　lines　to　the　beautiful　Diane　de
  Maufrigneuse；　and　a　short　hint　to　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　Eleonore
  sent　the　following　answer　like　the　lash　of　a　whip　through　the　poet's
  lies。
  To　Monsieur　le　Baron　de　Canalis：
  My　dear　poet；Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie　is　very　beautiful；
  Mongenod　has　proved　to　me　that　her　father　has　millions。　I　did
  think　of　marrying　you　to　her；　I　am　therefore　much　displeased　at
  your　want　of　confidence。　If　you　had　any　intention　of　marrying　La
  Briere　when　you　went　to　Havre　it　is　surprising　that　you　said
  nothing　to　me　about　it　before　you　started。　And　why　have　you
  omitted　writing　to　a　friend　who　is　so　easily　made　anxious　as　I？
  Your　letter　arrived　a　trifle　late；　I　had　already　seen　the　banker。
  You　are　a　child；　Melchior；　and　you　are　playing　tricks　with　us。　It
  is　not　right。　The　duke　himself　is　quite　indignant　at　your
  proceedings；　he　thinks　you　less　than　a　gentleman；　which　casts　some
  reflections　on　your　mother's　honor。
  Now；　I　intend　to　see　things　for　myself。　I　shall；　I　believe；　have
  the　honor　of　accompanying　MADAME　to　the　hunt　which　the　Duc
  d'Herouville　proposes　to　give　for　Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie。　I
  will　manage　to　have　you　invited　to　Rosembray；　for　the　meet　will
  probably　take　place　in　Duc　de　Verneuil's　park。
  Pray　believe；　my　dear　poet；　that　I　am　none　the　less；　for　life；
  Your　friend；　　　　　　Eleonore　de　M。
  〃There；　Ernest；　just　look　at　that！〃　cried　Canalis；　tossing　the　letter
  at　Ernest's　nose　across　the　breakfast…table；　〃that's　the　two
  thousandth　love…letter　I　have　had　from　that　woman；　and　there　isn't
  even　a　'thou'　in　it。　The　illustrious　Eleonore　has　never　compromised
  herself　more　than　she　does　there。　Marry；　and　try　your　luck！　The　worst
  marriage　in　the　world　is　better　than　this　sort　of　halter。　Ah；　I　am　the
  greatest　Nicodemus　that　ever　tumbled　out　of　the　moon！　Modeste　has
  millions；　and　I've　lost　her；　for　we　can't　get　back　from　the　poles；
  where　we　are　to…day；　to　the　tropics；　where　we　were　three　days　ago！
  Well；　I　am　all　the　more　anxious　for　your　triumph　over　the　grand
  equerry；　because　I　told　the　duchess　I　came　here　only　for　your　sake；
  and　so　I　shall　do　my　best　for　you。〃
  〃Alas；　Melchior；　Modeste　must　needs　have　so　noble；　so　grand；　so　well…
  balanced　a　nature　to　resist　the　glories　of　the　Court；　and　all　these
  splendors　cleverly　displayed　for　her　honor　and　glory　by　the　duke；　that
  I　cannot　believe　in　the　existence　of　such　perfection；and　yet；　if　she
  is　still　the　Modeste　of　her　letters；　there　might　be　hope！〃
  〃Well；　well；　you　are　a　happy　fellow；　you　young　Boniface；　to　see　the
  world　and　your　mistress　through　green　spectacles！〃　cried　Canalis；
  marching　off　to　pace　up　and　down　the　garden。
  Caught　between　two　lies；　the　poet　was　at　a　loss　what　to　do。
  〃Play　by　rule；　and　you　lose！〃　he　cried　presently；　sitting　down　in　the
  kiosk。　〃Every　man　of　sense　would　have　acted　as　I　did　four　days　ago；
  and　got　himself　out　of　the　net　in　which　I　saw　myself。　At　such　times
  people　don't　disentangle　nets；　they　break　through　them！　Come；　let　us
  be　calm；　cold；　dignified；　affronted。　Honor　requires　it；　English
  stiffness　is　the　only　way　to　win　her　back。　After　all；　if　I　have　to
  retire　finally；　I　can　always　fall　back　on　my　old　happiness；　a　fidelity
  of　ten　years　can't　go　unrewarded。　Eleonore　will　arrange　me　some　good
  marriage。〃
  CHAPTER　XXVI
  TRUE　LOVE
  The　hunt　was　destined　to　be　not　only　a　meet　of　the　hounds；　but　a
  meeting　of　all　the　passions　excited　by　the　colonel's　millions　and
  Modeste's　beauty；　and　while　it　was　in　prospect　there　was　truce　between
  the　adversaries。　During　the　days　required　for　the　arrangement　of　this
  forestrial　solemnity；　the　salon　of　the　villa　Mignon　presented　the
  tranquil　picture　of　a　united　family。　Canalis；　cut　short　in　his　role　of
  injured　love　by　Modeste's　quick　perceptions；　wished　to　appear
  courteous；　he　laid　aside　his　pretensions；　gave　no　further　specimens　of
  his　oratory；　and　became；　what　all　men　of　intellect　can　be　when　they
  renounce　affectation；　perfectly　charming。　He　talked　finances　with
  Gobenheim；　and　war　with　the　colonel；　Germany　with　Madame　Mignon；　and
  housekeeping　with　Madame　Latournelle；endeavoring　to　bias　them　all　in
  favor　of　La　Briere。　The　Duc　d'Herouville　left　the　field　to　his　rivals；
  for　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　Rosembray　to　consult　with　the　Duc　de
  Verneuil；　and　see　that　the　orders　of　the　Royal　Huntsman；　the　Prince　de
  Cadignan；　were　carried　out。　And　yet　the　comic　element　was　not
  altogether　wanting。　Modeste　found　herself　between　the　depreciatory
  hints　of　Canalis　as　to　the　gallantry　of　the　grand　equerry；　and　the
  exaggerations　of　the　two　Mesdemoiselles　d'Herouville；　who　passed　every
  evening　at　the　villa。　Canalis　made　Modeste　take　notice　that；　instead
  of　being　the　heroine　of　the　hunt；　she　would　be　scarcely　noticed。
  MADAME　would　be　attended　by　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse；　daughter…in…
  law　of　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；　by　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　and　other
  great　ladies　of　the　Court；　among　whom　she　could　produce　no　sensation；
  no　doubt　the　officers　in　garrison　at　Rouen　would　be　invited；　etc。
  Helene；　on　the　other　hand；　was　incessantly　telling　her　new　friend；
  whom　she　already　looked　upon　as　a　sister…in…law；　that　she　was　to　be
  presented　to　MADAME；　undoubtedly　the　Duc　de　Verneuil　would　invite　her
  father　and　herself　to　stay　at　Rosembray；　if　the　colonel　wished　to
  obtain　a　favor　of　the　king；a　peerage；　for　instance；the　opportunity
  was　unique；　for　there　was　hope　of　the　king　himself　being　present　on
  the　third　day；　she　would　be　delighted　with　the　charming　welcome　with
  which　the　beauties　of　the　Court；　the　Duchesses　de　Chaulieu；　de
  Maufrigneuse；　de　Lenoncourt…Chaulieu；　and　other　ladies；　were　prepared
  to　meet　her。　It　was　in　fact　an　excessivel