On reaching a copse, Monsieur Gravier left the two great men and
Gatien, under the guidance of a keeper, to make their way through a
little ravine.

"Well, we must wait for Monsieur Gravier," said Bianchon, when they
had reached a clearing.

"You may be a great physician," said Gatien, "but you are ignorant of
provincial life. You mean to wait for Monsieur Gravier?--By this time
he is running like a hare, in spite of his little round stomach; he is
within twenty minutes of Anzy by now----" Gatien looked at his watch.
"Good! he will be just in time."

"Where?"

"At the chateau for breakfast," replied Gatien. "Do you suppose I
could rest easy if Madame de la Baudraye were alone with Monsieur de
Clagny? There are two of them now; they will keep an eye on each
other. Dinah will be well guarded."

"Ah, ha! Then Madame de la Baudraye has not yet made up her mind?"
said Lousteau.

"So mamma thinks. For my part, I am afraid that Monsieur de Clagny has
at last succeeded in bewitching Madame de la Baudraye. If he has been
able to show her that he had any chance of putting on the robes of the
Keeper of the Seals, he may have hidden his moleskin complexion, his
terrible eyes, his touzled mane, his voice like a hoarse crier's, his
bony figure, like that of a starveling poet, and have assumed all