more tact and suavity. The rains and the
snows made all of us haunt the firesides of Capello. Every one of us
felt that relaxing of the mind and body which accompanies a period of
rest after action. Softer pleasures appealed to us. Our days slipped
away, I knew not how, and our evenings were given to cards,
conversation and music. Madame Riano was an inveterate card player,
and well-nigh invincible, so we often had cards for diversion.

Mademoiselle Capello played charmingly on the harpsichord and Gaston
Cheverny sang often to her accompaniment, which was not calculated to
please Regnard, though he took it cheerfully. Jacques Haret was the
very soul of entertainment. I have never known a man whose mind was
always so much at ease as Jacques Haret's. The most virtuous person
that ever lived might envy this rogue his cheerful acquiescence in
fate.

About a fortnight after our arrival the news came that the Bishop of
Louvain intended to visit his brother, the little priest, and likewise
proposed to pay his respects to the ladies of the chateau of Capello.
Jacques Haret assured us that the parish priest's larder was not of
the sort to satisfy this particular bishop very long.

Madame Riano marshaled her forces to meet the bishop. The Chevernys
were to be at hand, likewise Jacques Haret, who was a valuable ally on
the present occasion.

Nobody looked forward to the meeting between Madame Riano and the
bishop more than Count Saxe, who declared that he expected to learn
much of the art of war from the two belligerents. His incognito was to
be strictly observed even with the bishop.

On the day named for his Grace's arrival, precisely at six o'clock,
the hour named by the bishop, his chariot all gilding and coats of
arms, and drawn by four horses, drew up before the great entrance of
the chateau. Madame Riano, with the light of battle in her eye,
sustained Francezka, who was to receive the bishop in her quality of
chatelaine for the first time. Count Saxe was in the background, and
behind him stood Jacques Haret and myself. The two Chevernys were also
present, awaiting the bishop on the terrace. When the bishop's coach
came rumbling up, the Chevernys dutifully opened the coach door to
assist his Grace to alight. First stepped out the little parish
priest, the bishop's brother, dressed in a shabby surtout. That silent
little man was a humorist of the first water. He seemed to love his
brother, but not one single absurdity