er; I know it by the tone of your voice."

"Monsieur Grimont has heard some very grave charges against Mademoiselle
des Touches, who for the last year has so changed our dear Calyste."

"Changed him, how?" asked the baron.

"He reads all sorts of books."

"Ah! ah!" exclaimed the baron, "so that's why he has given up hunting
and riding."

"Her morals are very reprehensible, and she has taken a man's name,"
added Madame du Guenic.

"A war name, I suppose," said the old man. "I was called 'l'Intime,' the
Comte de Fontaine 'Grand-Jacques,' the Marquis de Montauran the 'Gars.'
I was the friend of Ferdinand, who never submitted, any more than I did.
Ah! those were the good times; people shot each other, but what of that?
we amused ourselves all the same, here and there."

This war memory, pushing aside paternal anxiety, saddened Fanny for a
moment. The rector's revelations, the want of confidence shown to her by
Calyste, had kept her from sleeping.

"Suppose Monsieur le chevalier does love Mademoiselle des Touches,
where's the harm?" said Mariotte. "She has thirty thousand francs a year
and she is very handsome."

"What is that you say, Mariotte?" exclaimed the old baron. "A Guenic
marry a des Touches! The des Touches were not even grooms in the days
when du Guesclin considered our alliance a signal honor."

"A woman who takes a man's name,--Camille Maupin!" said the baroness.

"The Maupins are an old family," said the baron; "they bear: gules,
three--" He stopped. "But she cannot be a Maupin and a des Touches
both," he added.

"She is called Maupin on the stage."

"A des Touches could hardly be an actress," said the old man. "Really,
Fanny, if I did not know you, I should think you were out of your head."

"She writes plays, and books," continued the baroness.

"Books?" said the baron, looking at his wife with an air of as much
surprise as though she were telling of a miracle. "I have heard that
Mademoiselle Scudery and Madame de Sevigne wrote books, but it was not
the best thing they did."

"Are you going to dine at Les Touches, monsieur?" said Mariotte, when
Calyste entered.

"Probably," replied the young man.

Mariotte was not inquisitive; she was part of the family; and she left
the room without waiting to hear what the baroness would say to her son.

"Are you going again to Les Touches, my Calyste?" The baroness
emphasized the _my_. "Les Touches is not a respectable or decent house.
Its mistress