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name！ Our property will go to a good family； at any rate。〃
She fell a prey to an irritation which made every fibre of her nerves
quiver to all their papillae； long sunk in flesh。 Her blood； lashed by
this new hope； was in motion。 She felt the strength to converse； if
necessary； with Monsieur de Troisville。
It is useless to relate the activity with which Josette； Jacquelin；
Mariette； Moreau； and his agents went about their functions。 It was
like the busyness of ants about their eggs。 All that daily care had
already rendered neat and clean was again gone over and brushed and
rubbed and scrubbed。 The china of ceremony saw the light； the damask
linen marked 〃A； B； C〃 was drawn from depths where it lay under a
triple guard of wrappings； still further defended by formidable lines
of pins。 Above all； Mademoiselle Cormon sacrificed on the altar of her
hopes three bottles of the famous liqueurs of Madame Amphoux； the most
illustrious of all the distillers of the tropics；a name very dear to
gourmets。 Thanks to the devotion of her lieutenants； mademoiselle was
soon ready for the conflict。 The different weaponsfurniture；
cookery； provisions； in short； all the various munitions of war；
together with a body of reserve forceswere ready along the whole
line。 Jacquelin； Mariette； and Josette received orders to appear in
full dress。 The garden was raked。 The old maid regretted that she
couldn't come to an understanding with the nightingales nesting in the
trees； in order to obtain their finest trilling。
At last； about four o'clock； at the very moment when the Abbe de
Sponde returned home； and just as mademoiselle began to think she had
set the table with the best plate and linen and prepared the choicest
dishes to no purpose； the click…clack of a postilion was heard in the
Val…Noble。
〃'Tis he！〃 she said to herself； the snap of the whip echoing in her
heart。
True enough； heralded by all this gossip； a post…chaise； in which was
a single gentleman； made so great a sensation coming down the rue
Saint…Blaise and turning into the rue du Cours that several little
gamains and some grown persons followed it； and stood in groups about
the gate of the hotel Cormon to see it enter。 Jacquelin； who foresaw
his own marriage in that of his mistress； had also heard the click…
clack in the rue Saint…Blaise； and had opened wide the gates into the
courtyard。 The postilion； a friend of his； took pride in making a fine
turn…in； and drew up sharply before the portico。 The abbe came forward
to greet his guest； whose carriage was emptied with a speed that
highwaymen might put into the operation； the chaise itself was rolled
into the coach…house； the gates closed； and in a few moments all signs
of Monsieur de Troisville's arrival had disappeared。 Never did two
chemicals blend into each other with greater rapidity than the hotel
Cormon displayed in absorbing the Vicomte de Troisville。
Mademoiselle； whose heart was beating like a lizard caught by a
herdsman； sat heroically still on her sofa； beside the fire in the
salon。 Josette opened the door； and the Vicomte de Troisville；
followed by the Abbe de Sponde； presented himself to the eyes of the
spinster。
〃Niece； this is Monsieur le Vicomte de Troisville； the grandson of one
of my old schoolmates； Monsieur de Troisville； my niece； Mademoiselle
Cormon。〃
〃Ah！ that good uncle； how well he does it！〃 thought Rose…Marie…
Victoire。
The Vicomte de Troisville was； to paint him in two words； du Bousquier
ennobled。 Between the two men there was precisely the difference which
separates the vulgar style from the noble style。 If they had both been
present； the most fanatic liberal would not have denied the existence
of aristocracy。 The viscount's strength had all the distinction of
elegance； his figure had preserved its magnificent dignity。 He had
blue eyes； black hair； an olive skin； and looked to be about forty…six
years of age。 You might have thought him a handsome Spaniard preserved
in the ice of Russia。 His manner； carriage； and attitude； all denoted
a diplomat who had seen Europe。 His dress was that of a well…bred
traveller。 As he seemed fatigued； the abbe offered to show him to his
room； and was much amazed when his niece threw open the door of the
boudoir； transformed into a bedroom。
Mademoiselle Cormon and her uncle then left the noble stranger to
attend to his own affairs； aided by Jacquelin； who brought up his
luggage； and went themselves to walk beside the river until their
guest had made his toilet。 Although the Abbe de Sponde chanced to be
even more absent…minded than usual； Mademoiselle Cormon was not less
preoccupied。 They both walked on in silence。 The old maid had never
before met any man as seductive as this Olympean viscount。 She might
have said to herself； as the Germans do； 〃This is my ideal！〃 instead
of which she felt herself bound from head to foot； and could only say；
〃Here's my affair！〃 Then she flew to Mariette to know if the dinner
could be put back a while without loss of excellence。
〃Uncle； your Monsieur de Troisville is very amiable；〃 she said； on
returning。
〃Why； niece； he hasn't as yet said a word。〃
〃But you can see it in his ways； his manners； his face。 Is he a
bachelor？〃
〃I'm sure I don't know；〃 replied the abbe； who was thinking of a
discussion on mercy； lately begun between the Abbe Couturier and
himself。 〃Monsieur de Troisville wrote me that he wanted to buy a
house here。 If he was married； he wouldn't come alone on such an
errand；〃 added the abbe； carelessly； not conceiving the idea that his
niece could be thinking of marriage。
〃Is he rich？〃
〃He is a younger son of the younger branch；〃 replied her uncle。 〃His
grandfather commanded a squadron； but the father of this young man
made a bad marriage。〃
〃Young man！〃 exclaimed the old maid。 〃It seems to me； uncle； that he
must be at least forty…five。〃 She felt the strongest desire to put
their years on a par。
〃Yes；〃 said the abbe； 〃but to a poor priest of seventy； Rose； a man of
forty seems a youth。〃
All Alencon knew by this time that Monsieur de Troisville had arrived
at the Cormons。 The traveller soon rejoined his hosts； and began to
admire the Brillante； the garden； and the house。
〃Monsieur l'abbe；〃 he said； 〃my whole ambition is to have a house like
this。〃 The old maid fancied a declaration lurked in that speech； and
she lowered her eyes。 〃You must enjoy it very much； mademoiselle；〃
added the viscount。
〃How could it be otherwise？ It has been in our family since 1574； the
period at which one of our ancestors； steward to the Duc d'Alencon；
acquired the land and built the house；〃 replied Mademoiselle Cormon。
〃It is built on piles；〃 she added。
Jacquelin announced dinner。 Monsieur de Troisville offered his arm to
the happy woman； who endeavored not to lean too heavily upon it； she
feared； as usual； to seem to make advances。
〃Everything is so harmonious here；〃 said the viscount； as he seated
himself at table。
〃Yes； our trees are full of birds； which give us concerts for nothing；
no one ever frightens them； and the nightingales sing at night；〃 said
Mademoiselle Cormon。
〃I was speaking of the interior of the house；〃 remarked the viscount；
who did not trouble himself to observe Mademoiselle Cormon； and
therefore did not perceive the dulness of her mind。 〃Everything is so
in keeping；the tones of color； the furniture； the general
character。〃
〃But it costs a great deal； taxes are enormous；〃 responded the
excellent woman。
〃Ah！ taxes are high； are they？〃 said the viscount； preoccupied with
his own ideas。
〃I don't know；〃 replied the abbe。 〃My niece manages the property of
each of us。〃
〃Taxes are not of much importance to the rich；〃 said Mademoiselle
Cormon； not wishing to be thought miserly。 〃As for the furniture； I
shall leave it as it is； and change nothing；unless I marry； and
then； of course； everything here must suit the husband。〃
〃You have noble principles； mademoiselle；〃 said the viscount； smiling。
〃You will make one happy man。〃
〃No one ever made to me such a pretty speech；〃 thought the old maid。
The viscount complimented Mademoiselle Cormon on the excellence of her
service and the admirable arrangements of the house； remarking that he
had supposed the provinces behind the age in that respect； but； on the
contrary； he found them； as the English say； 〃very comfortable。〃
〃What can that word mean？〃 she thought。 〃Oh； where is the chevalier to
explain it to me？ 'Comfortable；'there seem to be several words in
it。 Well； courage！〃 she said to herself。 〃I can't be expected to
answer a foreign language But；〃 she continued aloud； feeling her
tongue untied by the eloquence which nearly all human creatures find
in momentous circumstances； 〃we have a very brilliant society here；
monsieur。 It assembles at my house； and you shal