le. As she
left the room she spoke in an undertone to the old maid, who pressed her
arm, saying, "You are charming,"--which meant, "I am all gratitude
for the service you have just done us." After that, Mademoiselle
d'Herouville returned to the salon to play her part of spy, and her
first glance apprised Canalis that the duchess had made him no empty
threat. That apprentice in diplomacy became aware that his science was
not sufficient for a struggle of this kind, and his wit served him
to take a more honest position, if not a worthier one. When Ernest
returned, bringing Modeste's handkerchief, the poet seized his arm and
took him out on the terrace.

"My dear friend," he said, "I am not only the most unfortunate man in
the world, but I am also the most ridiculous; and I come to you to get
me out of the hornet's nest into which I have run myself. Modeste is a
demon; she sees my difficulty and she laughs at it; she has just spoken
to me of a fragment of a letter of Madame de Chaulieu, which I had
the folly to give her; if she shows it I can never make my peace with
Eleonore. Therefore, will you at once ask Modeste to send me back that
paper, and tell her, from me, that I make no pretensions to her hand.
Say I count upon her delicacy, upon her propriety as a young girl, to
behave to me as if we had never known each other. I beg her not to speak
to me; I implore her to treat me harshly,--though I hardly dare ask her
to feign a jealous anger, which would help my interests amazingly. Go, I
will wait here for an answer."

CHAPTER XXVIII. MODESTE BEHAVES WITH DIGNITY

On re-entering the salon Ernest de La Briere found a young officer of
the company of the guard d'Havre, the Vicomte de Serizy, who had just
arrived from Rosny to announce that _Madame_ was obliged to be present
at the opening of the Chambers. We know the importance then attached to
this constitutional solemnity, at which Charles X. delivered his speech,
surrounded by the royal family,--Madame la Dauphine and _Madame_ being
present in their gallery. The choice of the emissary charged with the
duty of expressing the princess's regrets was an attention to Diane,
who was then an object of adoration to this charming young man, son of
a minister of state, gentleman in ordinary of the chamber, only son and
heir to an immense fortune. The Duchesse de Maufrigneuse permitted his
attentions solely for the purpose of attracting notice to the age of
his mother, Madame