ting, bowing and scraping for years past, called
_Monsieur Eugene_--out of courtesy.

It was too much! And, in truth, this strange fellow's impoliteness was
ill-timed.

Sulpice suddenly turned round, approached Renaudin, and said to him
sharply:

"You bowed more obsequiously to me a short time since, monsieur! It
seems to me that you were in the ministerial antechambers every
morning!"

He expected a haughty reply from Renaudin, and that this man would have
compensated him for the others.

_Monsieur Eugene_ smiled as he answered:

"Why, I am still there, monsieur!"

Vaudrey looked at him with a stupefied air, then in an outburst of
anger, as if he conveyed in the reply that he hurled at this
contemptible fellow, all the projects of his future revenge upon the
fools, the knaves, the dull valets and the ungrateful horde, he said,
boldly:

"Well, you will salute me again, for I shall return there."

He turned on his heels away from this worthless fellow, and entered the
Chamber.

He heard an outburst of bravos; a perfect tempest of enthusiasm reached
him. He looked on and bit his lips.

Lucien Granet was in the tribune, and the majority were applauding him.

IX

Marianne Kayser had the good taste, and perhaps the good sense not to
desire a solemnized marriage. It mattered little to her if she entered
her duchy surreptitiously, provided she was sovereign there. She would
have time later to assume a lofty air under her ducal coronet;
meanwhile, she would act with humility while wearing the wreath of
orange blossoms. She had discharged Jean and Justine with considerable
presents, thinking it undesirable to keep any longer about her people
who knew Vaudrey. She had advised Justine to marry Jean.

"Marriage is amusing!" she had said.

"Madame is very kind," answered Justine, "but she sees, herself, that it
is better to wait sometimes. There is no hurry, one does not know what
may happen."

The future duchess showed that she was but little flattered by the
girl's reflections. It was scarcely worth while not to put on airs even
with servants, to meet such fools who become over-familiar with you
immediately. So, in future, she would strive to be not such a
kind-hearted girl. She would keep servants at a distance. They would
see. Meanwhile, she was delighted to have made a clean sweep in the
house, she could now lie to Rosas as much as she pleased.

Besides, the duke, who was madly in love and whose