Page:The Czar, A Tale of the Time of the First Napleon.djvu/308

298 set my heart upon inducing her to walk with me as far as the gate of the hospital, to see the Czar."

"And what need of that, pray?" asked Madame de Salgues. "I understand the Emperor of Russia is to pass through this street on his way to the Castle. We shall all see him from these windows. What more can any one desire?"

"Any one who had a sister as pretty as mine might very well desire to take a walk with her in the town, when all the world is making holiday," returned Henri, laughing.

"Well, that is not so unreasonable. Young people of course like a little pleasure; and the very best people—gens comme il faut—will all be on foot in the streets to-day. But I trust, M. Henri," the old lady added more gravely as the two were left alone together, "that you may never regret having thrown your influence into the scale of this Russian. Even supposing the young man to be the most desirable parti in the world, think of the banishment from civilized society, and the frightful climate of St. Petersburg! Clémence might have done better—much better. Not to speak of M. de Cranfort, a very excellent person, bien rangé, and with a sufficient property, who is a constant visitor here, and I believe not indifferent to your sister, there are others by no means to be despised."

"I suspect M. Ivan has heard something of a certain M. de Sartines which has disquieted him."

"What can he have heard of him?"

"I do not know exactly; but the idea seems to have been given that he aspires to the hand of Clémence."

"Oh, as for that, it must be a mistake! M. de Sartines has but just returned to Paris after an exile of several years. If in former days he had any penchant, I believe it was—do not laugh, Henri—for the mother, not the daughter. My own ideas for Clémence—not that there is any use in expressing them now—pointed, I must confess, in a different direction. I am not rich, but these are evil days, and it is something to have