"My dear princess, if he has his whims, I have mine; and amongst others, that of being proud of my nephew, and his greatest success would be to acquire your good opinion." "I have no right to repeat it to any person so nearly connected with you as M. de Morville, only I regret that good opinion should not have the value which you are so kind as to attribute to it." "Allow me to say that on this point you completely deceive yourself.--But," added Madame de Lormoy, "I most decidedly denounce M. de Hansfeld to you. He appears to me entirely absorbed with Madame Girard's _sobieska_, and cannot take his eyes off her, unless, indeed, it is that pretty Madame de Brévannes whom M. de Fierval has just named to us." "And who is really very charming," said the princess, directing her _lorgnette_ with the utmost intrepidity into the box of Brévannes. M. de Hansfeld did not hear, or pretended not to bear, his wife, and kept his glass fixed on Bertha. "But," continued Madame de Lormoy, "do you know, princess, that I very much admire M. de Brévannes? From what M. de Fierval told us, he must have evinced great delicacy and generosity in his marriage with a poor girl; and this is so seldom witnessed in our days. After such conduct, it seems to me that people are hardly able to form their opinion of a man's worth. Don't you think so?" "With your elevated opinions, you must think highly of M. de Brévannes, or rather of his noble disinterestedness, his admirable behaviour, since he has not the honour of an acquaintance with you. Madame de Brévannes is so lovely," said the princess, without betraying any emotion; "she appears so well bred, that the _sacrifice_ of M. de Brévannes appears to me simply _very great good fortune_." "In this you are quite right; but when I look at the marked and almost harsh features of M. de Brévannes I should never have thought him capable of such a feeling of the tender passion. What is your opinion, princess: "Countenances are sometimes so deceitful," replied Paula, whose composure did not forsake her. At this moment M. de Fierval came into the box. "What! alone?" said Madame de Lormoy; "and Léon?" "He has desired me, madame, to express to you his extreme regret; but after having dined at the club, he smoked a cigar, and----" "I understand. He knows my abhorrence of the abominable odour of tobacco. I only hope that what he has lost by his filthy habit, just like a soldier in a barrack, may be profitable to him when he remembers how he lost it. Again, my dear princess, I hope for his pardon, and express my regret to you." "We are all losers, madame," was the princess's reply. It was plain that De Morville's excuse for not going to his aunt was the result of his resolution to avoid a meeting with the princess. "What do they say of the piece?" asked Madame de Lormoy of M. de Fierval. "They did not expect such signal success; and Gercourt's _friends_ are really in consternation!