You wish to try for once, to give her no cause for
doubting you to be sans peur et sans reproche. You wish to make her
think you something better than a sort of Miraudin whose amorous
inclinations are not awakened by one woman, but by women! And so you
will not do anything which, though harmless in itself, may seem
equivocal. For this you refuse the friendly invitation of one of the
best known 'society leaders' in Europe! CHER Marquis!--it is a step
in the right direction! Adieu!"
"You are not going so soon," he said hurriedly, "Wait till I
explain . . ."
"There is nothing to explain!" and the pretty Princesse gave him her
hand with a beneficent air, "I am very pleased with you. You are
what the English call 'good boy'! Now I am going to see the Abbe and
place the Chateau D'Agramont at his disposal while he is waiting to
be excommunicated,--for of course he will be excommunicated--"
"What does it matter!--Who cares?" said the Marquis recklessly.
"It does not matter, and nobody cares--not in actual Paris. But very
very nice people in the suburbs, who are morally much worse than the
Abbe, will perhaps refuse to receive him. That is why my doors are
open to him, and also to his son."
"Original, as usual!"
"Perfectly! I am going to write a column for the Figaro on the
amazing little scene of this morning.
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