Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/27

Rh "Yes, madame, and through the protection of Monsieur Malicorne, moreover."

"It is incredible!" repeated the old lady; "is it not incredible, Louise?" But Louise did not reply; she was leaning, thoughtful, almost afflicted; passing one hand over her beautiful brow, she sighed heavily.

"Well, but, monsieur," said Mme. de St. Remy, all at once, "how did you manage to obtain this post?"

"I asked for it, madame."

"Of whom?"

"One of my friends."

"And have you friends sufficiently powerful at court to give you such proofs of their credit?"

"Dame! it appears so."

"And may one ask the name of these friends?"

"I did not say I had many friends, madame, I said I had one friend."

"And that friend is called?"

"Peste! madame, you go too far! When one has a friend as powerful as mine, we do not publish his name in that fashion, in open day, in order that he may be stolen from us."

"You are right, monsieur, to be silent as to that name; for I think it would be pretty difficult for you to tell it." "At all events," said Montalais, "if the friend does not exist, the brevet does exist, and that cuts short the question."

"Then, I conceive," said Mme. de St. Eemy, with the gracious smile of a cat who is going to scratch, "when I found monsieur here just now" "Well?"

"He brought you the brevet."

"Exactly, madame; you have guessed rightly."

"Well, then, nothing can be more moral or proper."

"I think so, madame."

"And I have been wrong, as it appears, in reproaching you, mademoiselle."

"Very wrong, madame; but I am so accustomed to your reproaches that I pardon you these."

"In that case, let us be gone, Louise; we have nothing to do but to retire. Well!"

"Madame," said La Valliere, "did you speak?"

"You do not appear to listen, my child."

"No, madame, I was thinking."

"About what?"