"You are right," approved Mme. Charrigaud. "For the moment, the important thing is to get the best people among those who are divorced. Say what you will, the time has come when a divorce gives a person a certain position." "It has at least the merit of abolishing adultery," chuckled Charrigaud. "Adultery is now very old-fashioned. Nobody but friend Bourget now believes in adultery,--Christian adultery,--and in English furniture." To which Mme. Charrigaud replied, in a tone of nervous vexation: "How you tire me, with your maliciously wicked remarks! You will see, you will see that, because of them, we shall never be able to establish a desirable _salon_." And she added: "If you really wish to become a man of society, you must learn first either to be an imbecile or to hold your tongue." They made, unmade, and remade a list of guests, which, after laborious combinations, was finally settled upon as follows: The Countess Fergus, divorced, and her friend, the economist and deputy, Joseph Brigard. The Baroness Henri Gogsthein, divorced, and her friend, the poet, Théo Crampp. The Baroness Otto Butzinghen, and her friend, the Viscount Lahyrais, clubman, sportsman, gambler, and trickster. Mme. de Rambure, divorced, and her friend, Mme. Tiercelet, suing for divorce. Sir Harry Kimberly, symbolist musician, and his young friend, Lucien Sartorys, as beautiful as a woman, as supple as a _peau de Suède_ glove, as slender and blonde as a cigar. The two academicians, Joseph Dupont de la Brie, collector of obscene coins, and Isidore Durand de la Marne, author of gallant memoirs in private and severe student of Chinese at the Institute. The portrait-painter, Jacques Rigaud. The psychological novelist, Maurice Fernancourt. The society reporter, Poult d'Essoy. The invitations were sent out, and, thanks to the mediation of influential persons, all were accepted. The Countess Fergus alone hesitated: "The Charrigauds?" said she. "Is theirs really a proper house? Has he not been engaged in all sorts of pursuits on Montmartre, in the past? Do they not say that he sold obscene photographs, for which he had posed, with an artificial bust? And are there not some disagreeable stories afloat regarding her? Did she not have some rather vulgar experiences before her marriage? Is it not said that she has been a model,--that she has posed for the altogether? What a horror! A woman who stripped before men who are not even her lovers?" Finally she accepted the invitation, on being assured that Mme. Charrigaud had posed only for the head, that Charrigaud, who was very vindictive, would be quite capable of disgracing her in one of his books, and that Kimberly would come to this dinner. Oh! if Kimberly had promised to come! Kimberly, such a perfect gentleman, and so delicate and so charming, really charming!