ere's an interesting pair! That old fellow and the young one, who
are so extraordinarily alike--the Barbey-Nanteuils, bankers for
generations in the financial swim, and mixed up in all sorts of big
affairs, sugar, among them.... Look here! That's the widow of an iron
master, Allouat--she is passing close to the orchestra--not bad looking
in spite of her mahogany-coloured hair, granddaughter of a famous French
peer, Flavogny de Saint-Ange.... Ah, I breathe again!... It's a detail,
but I am quite delighted! General de Rini's daughters have at last found
partners: they are ugly, poor things, and they've dressed themselves in
rose-pink as though they were schoolgirls: a fine name, a distinguished
position, but no fortune, and no husband!... Ah, now there's someone who
looks as if he were in luck--and he is, too--matrimonial luck. The
affair is settled this evening, it's whispered. It will interest you
particularly, for the lucky fellow is none other than Thomery!"

"What! Thomery?"

"Yes, Thomery! Although he is well over fifty, he means to commit
matrimony! I quite envy him his future wife, my Andral! There she is!
That stately dame who is going towards the last of the reception rooms
all alone, rather haughty, but a noble creature--it's Princess Sonia
Danidoff, related to the Tzar in some distant way and with an immense
fortune. Just look, dear boy, at those splendid jewels on that beautiful
neck of hers! They say she's got on seven hundred thousand francs'
worth--and the rest to match--millions to swell the sugar refiner's
pouch! She is to lead the cotillion with him, so there's no doubt about
the betrothal. By the by, you are going to stay for the cotillion?"

"Hum! I..."

"But you must! You simply must! We must sit together at supper, we have
still so much to say!... Besides, if you hurry off like that, I fancy
Thomery won't be best pleased. Oh, I say, there he is, coming our way!
There's no denying it, he is a fine figure of a man, though he is in the
fifties--but!... but!... but do look! What is the matter with him? He
looks as if he had seen a ghost."

* * * * *

Sonia Danidoff, who had been waltzing with Thomery, was a little out of
breath. A quick glance in a mirror showed the lovely Princess that her
cheeks were rather flushed:

"I am scarlet," she thought, with that touch of feminine exaggeration
characteristic of her! She was a true daughter of Eve!

At that exact moment