passages--nevertheless, he was now very severe and spoke of taste and
morals. Farther off the thin-lipped critic was brimming over with a
benevolence which had an unpleasant aftertaste, as of milk turned sour.

Fauchery glanced along, scrutinizing the boxes through the round
openings in each door. But the Count de Vandeuvres stopped him with a
question, and when he was informed that the two cousins were going to
pay their respects to the Muffats, he pointed out to them box seven,
from which he had just emerged. Then bending down and whispering in the
journalist's ear:

"Tell me, my dear fellow," he said, "this Nana--surely she's the girl we
saw one evening at the corner of the Rue de Provence?"

"By Jove, you're right!" cried Fauchery. "I was saying that I had come
across her!"

La Faloise presented his cousin to Count Muffat de Beuville, who
appeared very frigid. But on hearing the name Fauchery the countess
raised her head and with a certain reserve complimented the paragraphist
on his articles in the Figaro. Leaning on the velvet-covered support
in front of her, she turned half round with a pretty movement of the
shoulders. They talked for a short time, and the Universal Exhibition
was mentioned.

"It will be very fine," said the count, whose square-cut,
regular-featured face retained a certain gravity.

"I visited the Champ de Mars today and returned thence truly
astonished."