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She and the Contessa belong to a society of ladies formed for visiting the poor, and this is their day; but to- morrow you must dine with us en famille. Now to business. Allow me to light my cigar while you confide the whole state of affairs to Enguerrand. Whatever he counsels, I am sure to approve."
"Bravo!" cried Enguerrand; "all honour to courage! and at Paris it requires great courage to defend the absent." "Nay," answered Alain, in a low voice. "The gentilhomme who will not defend another gentilhomme traduced, would, as a soldier, betray a citadel and desert a flag." "You say M. de Mauleon is changed," said De Breze; "yes, he must be growing old. No trace left of his good looks?"
Enguerrand was not one of such soulless recreants, but he had many other places to go to. Besides, Madame S was no novelty to him.
And the man is so captivating that I should dread his influence over myself did I see much of him." Raoul kept his reasonings to himself, for he had that sort of charity which indisposes an amiable man to be severe on bygone offences. In the eyes of Enguerrand and Alain, and such young votaries of the mode as they could influence, Victor de Mauleon assumed almost heroic proportions.
Raoul did not accompany them; he went very rarely to any balls, never to one given by an Imperialist, however nearly related to him the Imperialist might be. But in the sweet indulgence of his good-nature, he had no blame for those who did go, not for Enguerrand, still less, of course, for Alain. Something too might well here be said as to his feeling towards Victor de Mauleon.
"A shop! I am mistaken, then. Who are they?" "Raoul and Enguerrand, sons of that mocker of man, the Count de Vandemar." "And they keep a shop! You are jesting." "A shop at which you may buy gloves and perfumes, Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin.
"Bah!" interrupted Raoul, with a gentle laugh; "my father is a very clever man, doubtless, but he knows only the world of his own day, nothing of the world of ours. I and Enguerrand will call on you to-morrow, to take you to my mother, and before doing so, to consult as to affairs in general. On this last matter Enguerrand is an oracle. Here we are at the Contessa's."
Enguerrand followed him, and saw the Vicomte extend his hand to his old acquaintance. The Prefet stared, and said, with frigid courtesy, "Pardon me, some mistake."
Enguerrand said, shrugging his shoulders, "You can't do me a greater kindness than by setting my wits at work. I fall a martyr to ennui when I am not in action;" he said, and was gone.
When she went into the dining-room Enguerrand, who was there with his nurse finishing his dessert, cried out: "Oh! mamma, how pretty you are!" which went to her heart. She kissed him two or three times one kiss after another. "I try to be pretty for your sake, my darling." "Will you take me with you?" "No, but I will come back for you, and take you out."
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