read the
_Journal Officiel_ in order to discover in the orator of to-day the
Minister of State of to-morrow. She was always well informed beforehand
which artist or sculptor would be likely to win the medal of honor at
the Salon, and was the first to invite such a one and to let him know
that it was she who had discovered him. In literature, she encouraged
the new school, liking it for the attention it attracted. It was also
her aim to give to her salon a literary as well as a political color.
Artists and statesmen elbowed one another there.

For some days now, she had thought of giving a reception which was to be
a surprise to her friends. She had heard of Japanese exhibitions being
given at other houses. She herself was determined to give a _soiree
exotique_. It happened just then that a friend of Guy de Lissac,
Monsieur Jose de Rosas, a great lounger, had returned from a journey
around the world. What a piece of good fortune! She too had known De
Rosas formerly, and if she could only get him to consent, she could
announce a most attractive soiree: the travels of such a man as Monsieur
de Rosas: a rare treat!

"The Comtesse d'Horville gives literary matinees," said Sabine, quite on
fire with the idea; "Madame Evan has poems and tragedies read at her
receptions, I shall have lecturers and savants, since that is
fashionable."

And what a woman wishes, a grandee of Spain willed, it appeared.
Monsieur de Rosas decided, egged on a little by Guy de Lissac, to come
and relate to Madame Marsy's friends his adventures in strange lands.
The invitations to the soiree were already out.

Madame Marsy had also obtained a promise from three Ministers of State
that they would be present. She had spread the news far and wide. A
little more and she would have had their names printed on the programmes
for the evening. She had had a success quite unlooked for--a promise
from Monsieur Pichereau to be present--from Pichereau, that starched
Puritan, and all the newspapers had announced his intention. When
suddenly--stupidly--a cabinet crisis had arisen at the most unexpected
moment, a useless crisis. Granet had interpellated Pichereau with a view
to succeed him, and Pichereau fell without Granet succeeding him. A
Ministry had been hastily formed, with Collard at its head, and Sulpice
Vaudrey as Minister of the Interior in place of Pichereau! And all those
Ministers of State who had promised to be present to hear Monsieur de
Rosas at M