Part 19 (1/2)
”Ah! that's it, is it! then young Tourville is married?”
”Yes, two years ago!”
”He was a disagreeable fellow! Has he made a good marriage?”
”That depends! he married a young lady on the Stock Exchange.”
”What do you mean? a young lady on the Stock Exchange?”
”Yes, her father is something there, I believe; he is very, very rich.”
”Is it Chaillot, the banker?”
”Perhaps so, I never asked about them--they have restored Tourville, it is superb now; and they are always entertaining.”
”Is Madame de Tourville pretty?”
”You will see her; she is very pleasant, and they say she is very intelligent; for my part, I have not discovered that.” And then, as M. de Clagny smiled, she added quickly: ”Because I only know her very slightly.”
”Well, and after the Tourvilles, who next?”
”M. de Bernes.”
”Young Hubert, the dragoon?”
”He himself.”
”He is the son of good friends of mine; a downright nice fellow, don't you think so?”
”Don't I think what?”
”That Hubert de Bernes is nice?”
”Oh! I know him so slightly; he has always seemed to me--how shall I express it?--insipid, yes, insipid.”
”Because you intimidate him, probably? I can quite understand that, too!”
”I intimidate _you_, perhaps?” she said, laughing.
”Very much so!” he answered, very seriously.
”Oh!” she exclaimed, in astonishment, ”how is that possible?”
”It is very possible, and it is true! There's nothing astonis.h.i.+ng about it then, that if you intimidate an old man like me, you should intimidate poor little Hubert.”
”Little Hubert? he is six feet!”
”Yes, and he is twenty-six years old, but to me he is always little Hubert. Well, anyhow, admit at least that he is handsome?”
”I don't know!”