sking for an interview at a later hour
of the day. In the interval she went to Monsieur de la Billardiere,
and explained to him the situation in which Roguin's flight had placed
Cesar, begging him to go with her to the duke and speak for her, as she
feared she might explain matters ill herself. She wanted a place
for Birotteau. Birotteau, she said, would be the most upright of
cashiers,--if there could be degrees of integrity among honest men.

"The King has just appointed the Comte de Fontaine master of his
household; there is no time to be lost in making the application," said
the mayor.

At two o'clock Monsieur de la Billardiere and Madame Cesar went up the
grand staircase of the Hotel de Lenoncourt, Rue Saint-Dominique, and
were ushered into the presence of the nobleman whom the king preferred
to all others,--if it can be said that Louis XVIII. ever had a
preference. The gracious welcome of this great lord, who belonged to the
small number of true gentlemen whom the preceding century bequeathed
to ours, encouraged Madame Cesar. She was dignified, yet simple, in her
sorrow. Grief ennobles even the plainest people; for it has a grandeur
of its own; to reflect its lustre, a nature must needs be true.
Constance was a woman essentially true.

The question was, how to speak to the king at once. In the midst of the
conference Monsieur de Vandenesse was announced; and the duke exclaimed,
"Here is our support!"

Madame Birotteau was not unknown to this young man, who had been to her
shop two or three times in search of those trifles which are sometimes
of more importance than greater things. The duke explained Monsieur de
la Billardiere's wishes. As soon as he learned the misfortune which had
overtaken the godson of the Marquise d'Uxelles, Vandenesse went at once,
accompanied by Monsieur de la Billardiere, to the Comte de Fontaine,
begging Madame Birotteau to wait their return. Monsieur le Comte
de Fontaine was, like Monsieur de la Billardiere, one of those fine
provincial gentlemen, the heroes, almost unknown, who made "la Vendee."
Birotteau was not a stranger to him, for he had seen him in the old
days at "The Queen of Roses." Men who had shed their blood for the
royal cause enjoyed at this time certain privileges, which the king kept
secret, so as not to give umbrage to the Liberals.

Monsieur de Fontaine, always a favorite with Louis XVIII., was thought
to be wholly in his confidence. Not only did the count positive