ng-rooms and billiard-room, a servant announced to the
inhabitants of the Villa Planat, "Monsieur DE Longueville." On hearing
the name of the old admiral's protege, every one, down to the player who
was about to miss his stroke, rushed in, as much to study Mademoiselle
de Fontaine's countenance as to judge of this phoenix of men, who had
earned honorable mention to the detriment of so many rivals. A simple
but elegant style of dress, an air of perfect ease, polite manners, a
pleasant voice with a ring in it which found a response in the hearer's
heart-strings, won the good-will of the family for Monsieur Longueville.
He did not seem unaccustomed to the luxury of the Receiver-General's
ostentatious mansion. Though his conversation was that of a man of the
world, it was easy to discern that he had had a brilliant education, and
that his knowledge was as thorough as it was extensive. He knew so well
the right thing to say in a discussion on naval architecture, trivial,
it is true, started by the old admiral, that one of the ladies remarked
that he must have passed through the Ecole Polytechnique.

"And I think, madame," he replied, "that I may regard it as an honor to
have got in."

In spite of urgent pressing, he refused politely but firmly to be kept
to dinner, and put an end to the persistency of the ladies by saying
that he was the Hippocrates of his young sister, whose delicate health
required great care.

"Monsieur is perhaps a medical man?" asked one of Emilie's
sisters-in-law with ironical meaning.

"Monsieur has left the Ecole Polytechnique," Mademoiselle de Fontaine
kindly put in; her face had flushed with richer color, as she learned
that the young lady of the ball was Monsieur Longueville's sister.

"But, my dear, he may be a doctor and yet have been to the Ecole
Polytechnique--is it not so, monsieur?"

"There is nothing to prevent it, madame," replied the young man.

Every eye was on Emilie, who was gazing with uneasy curiosity at the
fascinating stranger. She breathed more freely when he added, not
without a smile, "I have not the honor of belonging to the medical
profession; and I even gave up going into the Engineers in order to
preserve my independence."

"And you did well," said the Count. "But how can you regard it as an
honor to be a doctor?" added the Breton nobleman. "Ah, my young friend,
such a man as you----"

"Monsieur le Comte, I respect every profession that has a useful
purpose."

"