ut to accept this fine opportunity of ranging one's family definitely
on his side. Georges an officer, Helene married to an officer, herself a
lady-in-waiting to Marie Louise; thus everything would be arranged for
floating down the great river of the Empire into the ocean of a new
world. And immediate action seemed all the more advisable, if the
Prefect's false delicacy was likely to leave the Sainfoy family stranded
on a reef of old-fashioned manners.

At last, when every one had ceased to talk at once and the clamour was a
little stilled, Herve de Sainfoy stepped forward and made his wife a low
bow.

"Madame," he said, "I have heard all your arguments, and my
old-fashioned prejudices remain the same. I have made some sacrifices to
keep our country and position, and may have to make more; but when you
ask me to give my eldest daughter to a man who is not even a poor
imitation of a gentleman, you ask too much. I will choose a husband for
Helene myself, or she shall take the veil. That life, at least, has its
distinction. Aunts, great-aunts, cousins, have chosen it before her. One
of our best and most beautiful ancestors was a Carmelite nun."

Madame de la Mariniere clapped her hands gently. Herve smiled at her,
and Madame de Sainfoy frowned.

"A convent! No, no!" cried Urbain, while Joseph muttered breathlessly,
"But there is a better alternative, dear cousins!"

He flew out of the room. The rest of the council looked at each other,
puzzled and smiling, except Madame de Sainfoy, whose irritation
deepened. Who was this tiresome, old-fashioned little man, that he
should interfere in her plans! and what _lubies_ might possess him now!

The curtains at the door, flung back by Joseph, had hardly settled once
more into their places when he came back again, clutching Angelot by the
arm.

Coming from the darkness, from the presence of Helene, Angelot was
dazzled and slightly out of breath when his uncle dragged him into the
salon. He had not had time to ask a question; he came utterly unprepared
into the presence of the family, and the faces that received him were
not encouraging. Three at least were flushed with anger or confusion;
his father's, his mother's, Madame de Sainfoy's. It was at her that he
looked most intently; and he had never seen anything more unfriendly
than the gleam of her eyes, the flash of her white teeth between lips
suddenly drawn back like those of a fierce animal, while her flush
faded, as Monsi