go be hanged!" said Frederick to himself.

And, as he raised his eyes, he perceived Mademoiselle Roque at the other
side of Madame Arnoux.

She thought it gave her a coquettish look to dress entirely in green, a
colour which contrasted horribly with her red hair. The buckle of her
belt was large and her collar cramped her neck. This lack of elegance
had, no doubt, contributed to the coldness which Frederick at first
displayed towards her. She watched him from where she sat, some distance
away from him, with curious glances; and Arnoux, close to her side, in
vain lavished his gallantries--he could not get her to utter three
words, so that, finally abandoning all hope of making himself agreeable
to her, he listened to the conversation. She now began rolling about a
slice of Luxembourg pineapple in her pea-soup.

Louis Blanc, according to Fumichon, owned a large house in the Rue
Saint-Dominique, which he refused to let to the workmen.

"For my part, I think it rather a funny thing," said Nonancourt, "to see
Ledru-Rollin hunting over the Crown lands."

"He owes twenty thousand francs to a goldsmith!" Cisy interposed, "and
'tis maintained----"

Madame Darnbreuse stopped him.

"Ah! how nasty it is to be getting hot about politics! and for such a
young man, too! fie, fie! Pay attention rather to your fair neighbour!"

After this, those who were of a grave turn of mind attacked the
newspapers. Arnoux took it on himself to defend them. Frederick mixed
himself up in the discussion, describing them as commercial
establishments just like any other house of business. Those who wrote
for them were, as a rule, imbeciles or humbugs; he gave his listeners to
understand that he was acquainted with journalists, and combated with
sarcasms his friend's generous sentiments.

Madame Arnoux did not notice that this was said through a feeling of
spite against her.

Meanwhile, the Vicomte was torturing his brain in the effort to make a
conquest of Mademoiselle Cecile. He commenced by finding fault with the
shape of the decanters and the graving of the knives, in order to show
his artistic tastes. Then he talked about his stable, his tailor and his
shirtmaker. Finally, he took up the subject of religion, and seized the
opportunity of conveying to her that he fulfilled all his duties.

Martinon set to work in a better fashion. With his eyes fixed on her
continually, he praised, in a monotonous fashion, her birdlike profile,
her dull f