, who rival
in good looks the celebrated children of our friend Victor Hugo,"
returned Louis Blanc.

"I met Arago, Lamartine, Sue, Chateaubriand and some other celebrities
at his mansion in the Rue du Helder one night, recently," continued
Marrast, "and I thought I never saw a house arranged with such perfect
taste. The salons, library, picture-gallery, cabinet of natural history,
conservatory, and laboratory were superb--everything, in short, was
exquisite."

"And then one is always sure to meet at Madame Dantes' soirees," added
Louis Blanc, "exactly the persons who, of all others, he wishes to see,
and whom he would meet nowhere else, poets, painters, authors, orators,
statesmen and artists of every description--in fine, every man or woman,
whether native or foreigner, distinguished for anything, is certain to
be met with at M. Dantes' house."

"I once met there," said Flocon, "Rachel, the actress, and Van Amburgh,
the lion-king."

"M. Dantes is a perfect Maecenas in encouraging merit, as every one
knows," remarked Marrast; "and he manifests especial solicitude to show
that he appreciates worth more highly than wealth--genius than station.
Poverty and ability are sure recommendations to him."

"Madame Dantes is, I am told, as devoted to the good cause as her
husband," remarked Flocon.

"She is a second Madame Roland!" exclaimed Louis Blanc. "France will
owe much to such women as she and her friend Madame Dudevant!"

"She differs greatly from Madame George Sand in some respects, I fancy,"
said Marrast; "but, if she at all rivals that wonderful woman in
devotedness to the cause of human rights, whether of her own sex or
ours, she deserves well of France. In her charities, it is notorious,
she has no rival. Half the mendicants of the capital bless her name, and
she is at the head of a dozen associations and enterprises for the
amelioration of the condition of the destitute, suffering and abandoned
of her sex."

"Upon my word, Messieurs," cried Ledru Rollin, "your praises of M.
Dantes and Madame, his beautiful wife, are perfectly enthusiastic--so
much so, that, in your zeal, you utterly forgot another matter quite as
momentous. I am so unfortunate as to know M. Dantes only as one of the
great pillars of our noble cause, and a man who, for nearly six years,
has proven himself an apostle of man's rights, and ready, if need be, to
become a martyr! That's enough for me to know of him!"

"But who really are M. Dant