air hair, and her hands, which were unusually short. The
plain-looking young girl was delighted at this shower of flatteries.

It was impossible to hear anything, as all present were talking at the
tops of their voices. M. Roque wanted "an iron hand" to govern France.
Nonancourt even regretted that the political scaffold was abolished.
They ought to have all these scoundrels put to death together.

"Now that I think of it, are we speaking of Dussardier?" said M.
Dambreuse, turning towards Frederick.

The worthy shopman was now a hero, like Sallesse, the brothers Jeanson,
the wife of Pequillet, etc.

Frederick, without waiting to be asked, related his friend's history; it
threw around him a kind of halo.

Then they came quite naturally to refer to different traits of courage.

According to the diplomatist, it was not hard to face death, witness the
case of men who fight duels.

"We might take the Vicomte's testimony on that point," said Martinon.

The Vicomte's face got very flushed.

The guests stared at him, and Louise, more astonished than the rest,
murmured:

"What is it, pray?"

"He _sank_ before Frederick," returned Arnoux, in a very low tone.

"Do you know anything, Mademoiselle?" said Nonancourt presently, and he
repeated her answer to Madame Dambreuse, who, bending forward a little,
began to fix her gaze on Frederick.

Martinon did not wait for Cecile's questions. He informed her that this
affair had reference to a woman of improper character. The young girl
drew back slightly in her chair, as if to escape from contact with such
a libertine.

The conversation was renewed. The great wines of Bordeaux were sent
round, and the guests became animated. Pellerin had a dislike to the
Revolution, because he attributed to it the complete loss of the Spanish
Museum.

This is what grieved him most as a painter.

As he made the latter remark, M. Roque asked:

"Are you not yourself the painter of a very notable picture?"

"Perhaps! What is it?"

"It represents a lady in a costume--faith!--a little light, with a
purse, and a peacock behind."

Frederick, in his turn, reddened. Pellerin pretended that he had not
heard the words.

"Nevertheless, it is certainly by you! For your name is written at the
bottom of it, and there is a line on it stating that it is Monsieur
Moreau's property."

One day, when Pere Roque and his daughter were waiting at his residence
to see him, they saw the Marechale's portr