speaker was an elderly lady, and she addressed the head of the local
royal family.

"I went this morning. She was so poorly and depressed, that I could
not persuade her to dine with us to-morrow."

"With Mme. de Champignelles?" exclaimed the dowager with something
like astonishment in her manner.

"With my wife," calmly assented the noble. "Mme. de Beauseant is
descended from the House of Burgundy, on the spindle side, 'tis true,
but the name atones for everything. My wife is very much attached to
the Vicomtesse, and the poor lady has lived alone for such a long
while, that----"

The Marquis de Champignelles looked round about him while he spoke
with an air of cool unconcern, so that it was almost impossible to
guess whether he made a concession to Mme. de Beauseant's misfortunes,
or paid homage to her noble birth; whether he felt flattered to
receive her in his house, or, on the contrary, sheer pride was the
motive that led him to try to force the country families to meet the
Vicomtesse.

The women appeared to take counsel of each other by a glance; there
was a sudden silence in the room, and it was felt that their attitude
was one of disapproval.

"Does this Mme. de Beauseant happen to be the lady whose adventure
with M. d'Ajuda-Pinto made so much noise?" asked Gaston of his
neighbor.