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26 his revenue toward the maintenance of the household, that there was no great danger of extravagant habits growing up in the young man's life, especially as he had always lived in the Château de Montarnaud, and never visited any city larger than Marseilles. This seclusion had induced a certain rusticity of dress, speech, and manner, affording infinite amusement of an unamiable nature to the elder brother, who had, since boyhood, lived mostly with his father in Paris, and later had mingled in the army with the gay gallants of the court who either for their sins, or from ambitious motives, had sought the variety of killing a few Dutchmen or Spaniards, as the case might be, or at least of airing the ribbons, scarfs, and favors of their lady-loves upon the field of battle. In every folly, every new affectation or whimsical device, Gaston de Montarnaud suffered not even De Lauzun or De Guiche to surpass him so far as his revenues would permit; and, as insolence and flippancy are but cheap luxuries, he possessed them in abundance.

As the Count de Montarnaud led his ward toward the chateau, and the brothers followed, François pale and disturbed, Gaston in unusually high spirits, the latter opened the conversation by remarking,—

"That is a wonderfully happy effort of old Marie's in your doublet, François. It is a great economy for you that she can fashion them from the old bed-hangings, is it not?"

"My doublet was fashioned by the best tailor in Marseilles, from his best piece of stuff; and, which will perhaps strike you as incredible, vicomte, it is paid for," replied François sententiously.