been difficult to find among the young men of fashion in Paris a
single one who was his superior. Young men talk a great deal too much
in these days of horses, money, taxes, deputies; French _conversation_
is no longer what it was. Brilliancy of mind needs leisure and certain
social inequalities to bring it out. There is, probably, more real
conversation in Vienna or St. Petersburg than in Paris. Equals do not
need to employ delicacy or shrewdness in speech; they blurt out things
as they are. Consequently the dandies of Paris did not discover the
great seigneur in the rather heedless young fellow who, in their
talks, would flit from one subject to another, all the more intent
upon amusement because he had just escaped from a great peril, and,
finding himself in a city where his family was unknown, felt at
liberty to lead a loose life without the risk of disgracing his name.

But one fine day in 1834 Adam suddenly bought a house in the rue de la
Pepiniere. Six months later his style of living was second to none in
Paris. About the time when he thus began to take himself seriously he
had seen Clementine du Rouvre at the Opera and had fallen in love with
her. A year later the marriage took place. The salon of Madame
d'Espard was the first to sound his praises. Mothers of daughters then
learned too late that as far back as the year 900 the family of the
Laginski was among the most illustrious of the North. By an act of
prudence which was very unPolish, the mother of the young count had
mortgaged her entire property on the breaking out of the insurrection
for an immense sum lent by two Jewish bankers in Paris. Comte Adam was
now in possession of eighty thousand francs a year. When this was
discovered society ceased to be surprised at the imprudence which had
been laid to the charge of Madame de Serizy, the Marquis de
Ronquerolles, and the Chevalier du Rouvre in yielding to the foolish
passion of their niece. People jumped, as usual, from one extreme of