"Enough, monsieur," said the sister of the steward of Cinq-Cygne.

After such a beginning, the stranger kept the mistress of the house a
whole hour and made her tell him all she knew of Arcis, of its
fortunes, its interests, and its functionaries. The next day he
disappeared on horseback, followed by his tiger, returning at
midnight.

We can now understand Mademoiselle Cecile's little joke, which Madame
Beauvisage thought to be without foundation. Beauvisage and Cecile,
surprised by the order of the day promulgated by Severine, were
enchanted. While his wife went to dress for Madame Marion's reception,
the father listened to the many conjectures it was natural a girl
should make in such a case. Then, fatigued with his day, he went to
bed as soon as his wife and daughter had departed.

As may readily be supposed by those who know anything of country
towns, a crowd of persons flocked to Madame Marion's that evening. The
triumph of Giguet junior was thought to be a victory won against the
Comte de Gondreville, and to insure forever the independence of Arcis
in the matter of elections. The news of the death of poor Charles
Keller was regarded as a judgment from heaven, intended to silence all
rivalries.

Antonin Goulard, Frederic Marest, Olivier Vinet, and Monsieur
Martener, the authorities who, until then, had frequented this salon
(the prevailing opinions of which did not seem to them contrary to the
government created by the popular will in July, 1830), came as usual,
possessed by curiosity to see what attitude the Beauvisage family
would take under the circumstances.