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mine, we do not publish his name in that fashion, in open day, in order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, and that cuts short the question."

"Then, I conceive," said Madame de Saint-Remy, with the gracious smile
of the 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 begone, Louise; we have nothing to do but to
retire. Well!"

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

"You do not appear to be listening, my child."

"No, madame, I was thinking."

"About what?"

"A thousand things."

"You bear me no ill-will, at least, Louise?" cried Montalais, pressing
her hand.

"And why should I, my dear Aure?" replied the girl in a voice soft as a
flute.

"Dame!" resumed Madame de Saint-Remy; "if she did bear you a little
ill-will, poor girl, she could not be much blamed."

"And why should she bear me ill-will, good gracious?"

"It appears to me that she is of as good a family, and as pretty as
you."

"Mother! mother!" cried Louise.

"Prettier a hundred times, madame--not of a better family; but that does
not tell me why Louise should bear me ill-will."

"Do you think it will be very amusing for her to be buried alive at
Blois, when you are going to shine at Paris?"

"But, madame, it is not I who prevent Louise following me thither; on
the contrary, I should certainly be most happy if she came there."

"But it appears that M. Malicorne, who is all-powerful at court----"

"Ah! so much the worse, madame," said Malicorne, "every one for himself
in this poor world."

"Malicorne! Malicorne!" said Montalais. Then stooping towards the young
man:--

"Occupy Madame de Saint-Remy, either in disputing with her, or making
it up with her; I must speak to Louise." And, at the same time, a soft
pressure of