had already held
at the princely house a sort of council on a small scale. A young bride
who gives her first ball, an emancipated minor who gives his first
bachelor's dinner, a woman of talent who reads aloud for the first time
her first unpublished work, are not more joyous and proud, and, at the
same time, more attentive to their guests, than was this lady with her
prelates. To behold great interests discussed in her house, and in
her presence, to hear men of acknowledged ability ask her advice
upon certain practical matters relating to the influence of female
congregations, filled the princess with pride, as her claims to
consideration were thus sanctioned by Lordships and Eminences, and she
took the position, as it were, of a mother of the Church. Therefore, to
win these prelates, whether native or foreign, she had recourse to no
end of saintly flatteries and sanctified coaxing. Nor could anything be
more logical than these successive transfigurations of this heartless
woman, who only loved sincerely and passionately the pursuit of intrigue
and domination. With the progress of age, she passed naturally from the
intrigues of love to those of politics, and from the latter to those of
religion.

At the moment she finished inspecting her preparations, the sound of
coaches was heard in the courtyard, apprising her of the arrival of the
persons she had been expecting. Doubtless, these persons were of the
highest rank, for contrary to all custom, she went to receive them at
the door of her outer saloon. It was, indeed, Cardinal Malipieri, who
was always cold, with the Belgian Bishop of Halfagen, who was always
hot. They were accompanied by Father d'Aigrigny. The Roman cardinal was
a tall man, rather bony than thin, with a yellowish puffy countenance,
haughty and full of craft; he squinted a good deal, and his black eyes
were surrounded by a deep brown circle. The Belgian Bishop was short,
thick, and fat, with a prominent abdomen, an apoplectic complexion, a
slow, deliberate look, and a soft, dimpled, delicate hand.

The company soon assembled in the great saloon. The cardinal instantly
crept close to the fire, whilst the bishop, beginning to sweat and blow,
cast longing glances at the iced chocolate and coffee, which were to aid
him in sustaining the oppressive heat of the artificial dog-day. Father
d'Aigrigny, approaching the princess, said to her in a low voice: "Will
you give orders for the admittance of Abbe Gabriel d