lawyer, and knows all his affairs. Well! Monsieur de Sommervieux has
twelve thousand francs a year in good landed estate. Do you know that
the father-in-law of such a man may get a rise in life--be mayor of
his _arrondissement_, for instance. Have we not seen Monsieur Dupont
become a Count of the Empire, and a senator, all because he went as
mayor to congratulate the Emperor on his entry into Vienna? Oh, this
marriage must take place! For my part, I adore the dear young man. His
behavior to Augustine is only met with in romances. Be easy, little
one, you shall be happy, and every girl will wish she were in your
place. Madame la Duchesse de Carigliano, who comes to my 'At Homes,'
raves about Monsieur de Sommervieux. Some spiteful people say she only
comes to me to meet him; as if a duchesse of yesterday was doing too
much honor to a Chevrel, whose family have been respected citizens
these hundred years!

"Augustine," Madame Roguin went on, after a short pause, "I have seen
the portrait. Heavens! How lovely it is! Do you know that the Emperor
wanted to have it? He laughed, and said to the Deputy High Constable
that if there were many women like that in his court while all the
kings visited it, he should have no difficulty about preserving the
peace of Europe. Is not that a compliment?"

The tempests with which the day had begun were to resemble those of
nature, by ending in clear and serene weather. Madame Roguin displayed
so much address in her harangue, she was able to touch so many strings
in the dry hearts of Monsieur and Madame Guillaume, that at last she
hit on one which she could work upon. At this strange period commerce
and finance were more than ever possessed by the crazy mania for
seeking alliance with rank; and the generals of the Empire took full
advantage of this desire. Monsieur Guillaume, as a singular exception,