el in his house--that may be natural enough--but she is
not a usual piece of furniture in that of a legislator."

"No, what seems more to their liking," replied Monsieur Dorlange, with
some heat, "is the good they can get for themselves out of a calumny
accepted eagerly and without examination. However, far from dreading
inquiry on the subject you mention, I desire it, and the ministry will
do me a great service if it will employ the extremely able political
personage you say they have put upon my path to bring that delicate
question before the electors."

"Do you really start to-morrow?" asked Monsieur de l'Estorade, finding
that he had started a subject which not only did not confound Monsieur
Dorlange, but, on the contrary, gave him the opportunity to reply with a
certain hauteur of tone and speech.

"Yes, and very early too; so that I must now take leave of you, having
certain preparations still to make."

So saying, Monsieur Dorlange rose, and after making me a rather
ceremonious bow and not bestowing his hand on Monsieur de l'Estorade,
who, in turn, did not hold out his own, he left the room.

"What was the matter with Armand?" asked my husband, as if to avoid any
other explanation.

"Never mind Armand," I said, "it is far more interesting to know what
is the matter with you; for never did I see you so out of tune, so sharp
and uncivil."

"What! because I told a ridiculous candidate that he would have to go
into mourning for his reputation?"

"In the first place, that was not complimentary; and in any case the
moment was ill-chosen with a man on whom my maternal anxiety had just
imposed a disagreeable service."

"I don't like meddlers," retorted Monsieur de l'Estorade, raising his
voice more than I had ever known him do to me. "And after all, if he had
not been here to give you his arm you would not have gone."

"You are mistaken; I should have gone alone; for your servant, being
master here, refused to accompany me."

"But you must certainly admit that if any acquaintance had met you at
half-past nine o'clock walking arm-in-arm with Monsieur Dorlange the
thing would have seemed to them, to say the least, singular."

Pretending to discover what I had known for the last hour, I
exclaimed:--

"Is it possible that after sixteen years of married life you do me
the honor to be jealous. Now I see why, in spite of your respect for
proprieties, you spoke to Monsieur Dorlange in my presence of that
Italian