At that moment Bélan clutched my arm and said: “Good-evening, my friend; you know that I am not a cuckold.” “Bless my soul! did I ever say that you were, my dear Bélan?” “My friend, I have my reasons for telling you this. Those blackguardly Girauds have made most shameful remarks. My mother-in-law wanted me to fight them.” “Fight Giraud and his wife?” “I mean the husband, of course; I was anxious to do it myself; but my wife Armide insisted that it wasn’t worth while.--But those people are here; and when I see them I cannot contain myself.” “Mon Dieu! do you mean to say that you believe everything that is told you? Perhaps the Girauds have never mentioned you.” “Oh! yes, they have; they have even--Excuse me, my mother-in-law is beckoning to me.” Bélan left me. I was still laughing at what he had said when I saw Ernest talking with my wife. Well! there was no way of preventing that. After all, I was very foolish to torment myself when I had no reason for self-reproach. Ernest walked away from Eugénie, and I went to her. From her manner toward me, I saw that she knew that Madame Firmin was there. “I did not want to come to this ball,” said Eugénie; “it was clearly a presentiment. I should have followed my inclination, and then I should not have come into contact with people whom I don’t want to see. You have been talking with your former neighbor, monsieur, of course?” “My neighbor? Oh! I beg your pardon--you mean Madame Firmin.” “I know that she is here,--her _monsieur_ was good enough to tell me so just now.” “It is true that Madame Firmin is here and that I have been to say good-evening to her.” “How pleasant it is for me to be at a party with that woman!” “I give you my word that, if I had known that she was to be here to-night, I would not have urged you to come.” “Oh! I believe you! but you need not let that embarrass you, monsieur. Ah! that is she, no doubt, just passing with her Monsieur Ernest. What an ordinary face! anyone could see what she is. But pray go, monsieur; perhaps she wants to speak to you. She is staring at me, I believe, the impertinent creature! I beg you, monsieur, at least to forbid her to look at me in that way.” I was on the rack; Ernest and Marguerite had passed very close to us, and I trembled lest they had heard Eugénie. I walked away and took a seat at an écarté table, where I remained for more than an hour. When I returned to the ballroom, I passed Madame Ernest. She looked at me and smiled; evidently she had not overheard my wife; I walked toward her, for I had made up my mind, and I was no longer disturbed about what people might think. “Do you not dance, Monsieur Blémont?” “Not often.” “I have seen your wife; she is very pretty, but she has rather a serious expression. Is she always like that?” “No, she has a headache.” “Aren’t you going to dance with her?” “She does not lack partners.”