furnished in a rococo manner. Rabourdin's study had inherited the late
hangings of the salon, carefully cleaned, and was adorned by the fine
pictures once belonging to Monsieur Leprince. The daughter of the late
auctioneer had utilized in her dining-room certain exquisite Turkish
rugs which her father had bought at a bargain; panelling them on the
walls in ebony, the cost of which has since become exorbitant. Elegant
buffets made by Boulle, also purchased by the auctioneer, furnished
the sides of the room, at the end of which sparkled the brass
arabesques inlaid in tortoise-shell of the first tall clock that
reappeared in the nineteenth century to claim honor for the
masterpieces of the seventeenth. Flowers perfumed these rooms so full
of good taste and of exquisite things, where each detail was a work of
art well placed and well surrounded, and where Madame Rabourdin,
dressed with that natural simplicity which artists alone attain, gave
the impression of a woman accustomed to such elegancies, though she
never spoke of them, but allowed the charms of her mind to complete
the effect produced upon her guests by these delightful surroundings.
Thanks to her father, Celestine was able to make society talk of her
as soon as the rococo became fashionable.

Accustomed as des Lupeaulx was to false as well as real magnificence
in all their stages, he was, nevertheless, surprised at Madame
Rabourdin's home. The charm it exercised over this Parisian Asmodeus
can be explained by a comparison. A traveller wearied with the rich
aspects of Italy, Brazil, or India, returns to his own land and finds
on his way a delightful little lake, like the Lac d'Orta at the foot
of Monte Rosa, with an island resting on the calm waters, bewitchingly
simple; a scene of nature and yet adorned; solitary, but well
surrounded with choice plantations and foliage and statues of fine
effect. Beyond lies a vista of shores both wild and cultivated;