ur cause, it is as
good as gained." And as his companion overwhelmed him with thanks,
he rose, and said: "I must go now. No more foolishness, and be ready
to-morrow at the appointed time."

Thanks to the surprising mutability of temper which was the most
striking characteristic of his nature, M. Wilkie was already consoled
for his blunder.

He had received M. de Coralth as an enemy; but he now escorted him to
the door with every obsequious attention--in fact, just as if he looked
upon him as his preserver. A word which the viscount had dropped during
the conversation had considerably helped to bring about this sudden
revulsion of feelings. "You cannot fail to understand that if the
Marquis de Valorsay espouses your cause, you will want for nothing. And
if a lawsuit is unavoidable, he will be perfectly willing to advance the
necessary funds." How could M. Wilkie lack confidence after that? The
brightest hopes, the most ecstatic visions had succeeded the gloomy
forebodings of a few hours before. The mere thought of being presented
to M. de Valorsay, a nobleman celebrated for his adventures, his horses,
and his fortune, more than sufficed to make him forget his troubles.
What rapture to become that illustrious nobleman's acquaintance,
perhaps his friend! To move in the same orbit as this star of the first
magnitude which would inevitably cast some of its lustre upon him! Now
he would be a somebody in the world. He felt that he had grown a
head taller, and Heaven only knows with what disdain poor Costard
and Serpillon would have been received had they chanced to present
themselves at that moment.

It is needless to say that Wilkie dressed with infinite care on the
following morning, no doubt in the hope of making a conquest of the
marquis at first sight. He tried his best to solve the problem of
appearing at the same time most recherche but at ease, excessively
elegant and yet unostentatious; and he devoted himself to the task so
unreservedly that he lost all conception of the flight of time: so
that on seeing M. de Coralth enter his rooms, he exclaimed in unfeigned
astonishment: "You here already?"

It seemed to him that barely five minutes had elapsed since he took his
place before the looking-glass to study attitudes and gestures, with
a new and elegant mode of bowing and sitting down, like an actor
practising the effects which are to win him applause.

"Why do you say 'already?'" replied the viscount. "I am a quar