to her in the Rue de Richelieu and was now passing some weeks there in
order to settle her youngest son, who was reading the law and in his
"first year." In old times she had been a dear friend of the Marquise de
Chouard and had assisted at the birth of the countess, who, prior to her
marriage, used to stay at her house for months at a time and even now
was quite familiarly treated by her.

"I have brought Georges to see you," said Mme Hugon to Sabine. "He's
grown, I trust."

The young man with his clear eyes and the fair curls which suggested a
girl dressed up as a boy bowed easily to the countess and reminded her
of a bout of battledore and shuttlecock they had had together two years
ago at Les Fondettes.

"Philippe is not in Paris?" asked Count Muffat.

"Dear me, no!" replied the old lady. "He is always in garrison at
Bourges." She had seated herself and began talking with considerable
pride of her eldest son, a great big fellow who, after enlisting in
a fit of waywardness, had of late very rapidly attained the rank of
lieutenant. All the ladies behaved to her with respectful sympathy,
and conversation was resumed in a tone at once more amiable and more
refined. Fauchery, at sight of that respectable Mme Hugon, that motherly
face lit up with such a kindly smile beneath its broad tresses of white
hair, thought how foolish he had been to suspect the Countess Sabine
even for an instant.

Nevertheless, the big chair with the red silk upholsteries in which the
countess sat had attracted his attention. Its style struck him as crude,