gne?"

This was said sharply, and in so hard a tone that Simon was
disconcerted.

"Ah, mademoiselle," said Olivier Vinet, "if we said to each other's
faces what we all say behind our backs, social life wouldn't be
possible. The pleasures of society, especially in the provinces, are to
slander and backbite our neighbors."

"Monsieur Simon is jealous of your enthusiasm for the mysterious count,"
said Ernestine.

"It seems to me," said Cecile, "that Monsieur Simon has no right to be
jealous of my affections."

After which remark, uttered in a way to dumfound Simon, Cecile rose;
the others made way for her and she went to her mother, who was just
finishing her rubber of whist.

"My dearest!" cried Madame Marion, hurrying after the heiress, "I think
you are rather hard on my poor Simon."

"What has she done, my dear little kitten?" asked Madame Beauvisage.

"Mamma, Monsieur Simon called my great Unknown an adventurer!"

Simon had followed his aunt and was now beside the card-table. The four
persons whose interests were concerned were thus in the middle of the
salon,--Cecile and her mother on one side of the table, Madame Marion
and her nephew on the other.

"Really, madame," said Simon Giguet, "there must be a strong desire to
find fault and to quarrel with me simply because I happened to say
that a gentleman whom all Arcis is talking about and who stops at the
Mulet--"

"Do you think he has come here to put himself in competition with you?"
said Madame Beauvisage jestingly.

"I should be very indignant with him certainly if he were to cause the
slightest misunderstanding between Mademoiselle Cecile and myself," said
the candidate, with a supplicating look at the young girl.

"You gave your opinion, monsieur, in a decisive manner which proves that
you are very despotic," she replied; "but you are right; if you wish to
be minister you ought to be decisive."

Here Madame Marion took Madame Beauvisage by the arm and led her to
a sofa. Cecile, finding herself alone, returned to her former seat to
avoid hearing Simon's answer to her speech, and the candidate was left
standing rather foolishly before the table, where he mechanically played
with the counters.

"My dear friend," said Madame Marion in a low voice to Madame
Beauvisage, "you see that nothing can now hinder my nephew's election."

"I am delighted both for your sake and for the Chamber of Deputies,"
said Severine.

"My nephew is certain to go far,