de Rastignac protested that, on the contrary, she desired
to enjoy as long as possible Madame de l'Estorade's company, only
regretting that she had been so often obliged to interrupt their
conversation to receive those strange objects, the newly fledged
deputies, who had come in relays to make their bow to her.

"Oh! my dear," cried Rastignac, "here's the session about to open, and
we really must not take these disdainful airs toward the elect of the
nation. Besides which, you will get into difficulties with madame, who,
I am told, is the protectress of one of these sovereigns of late date."

"I?" said Madame de l'Estorade, rather surprised, and blushing a little.
She had one of those complexions, still fresh and dazzling, which are
predisposed to these flushes of color.

"Ah! true," said Madame de Rastignac; "I had forgotten that artist who
cut out the pretty figures for your children the last time I had the
pleasure of paying you a visit. I own I was far from thinking then that
he would be one of our masters."

"And yet, ever since then," replied Madame de l'Estorade, "his election
has been talked about; though it must be owned that until now no one
thought seriously of it."

"I did," said Monsieur de l'Estorade, rather eagerly, seizing the
occasion to put another star to his reputation for prophecy; "from the
first political conversation that I had with him I said--and Monsieur de
Ronquerolles is here to bear me out--that I was surprised at the ability
and the breadth of aim he manifested."

"Certainly," said the personage thus interpellated, "he is not an
ordinary fellow; but I do not believe in his future. He is a man who
goes by the first impulsion, and, as Monsieur de Talleyrand has wisely
remarked, the first impulse is the good impulse."

"Well, monsieur?" inquired Madame de l'Estorade, ingenuously.

"Well, madame," replied Monsieur de Ronquerolles, who was vain of his
scepticism, "heroism is not of our day; it is heavy baggage, horribly
embarrassing, which gets us into mud-holes continually."

"Nevertheless, I believe that great qualities of heart and mind have
some share in the composition of a distinguished man."

"Qualities of mind? Yes, you are right there, provided always they work
in a certain direction. But as for qualities of the heart in political
life, what good are they?--to hoist you on stilts with which you can't
walk as well as you can on the ground, and from which you are liable to
fa