"But this, permit me to say, monsieur," responded the baroness, concealing her anger under a forced laugh, "is nothing more nor less than a sort of inquisition, of which you will be the inquisitor-general, and which will be located in my house." "Yes, in your house, or elsewhere; for you know, baroness, that if the whim should seize you,--every pretty woman, you know, must have her whims, and you are certainly entitled to a good many of them,--I repeat that, if the whim should seize you, you could easily tell your servants that in future you will never be at home to me." "Why, marquis, can you suppose--?" "I was only jesting," replied M. de Maillefort, dryly. "The baron is too sensible a man to allow your doors to be closed against me without a cause, and he will spare me, I am sure, any explanation on the subject. I have the honour to tell you, my dear baroness, that having resolved to watch these very amusing doings, to see, in fact, how the richest heiress in France is married off, I can establish my point of observation almost anywhere, for, in spite of my diminutive stature, I can manage to see from almost any position, high or low." "Then, my dear marquis, you must confess that it is an offensive and defensive alliance you are proposing to me," said Madame de la Rochaigue, with the same forced smile. "Not the least bit in the world. I shall neither be for you nor against you. I shall merely watch what goes on, with a keen eye, and perhaps try to aid this suitor, or to circumvent the other suitor, according to my best judgment and my feeble resources, if the desire seizes me, or rather if justice and truth demand it, for you know I am very peculiar in my notions." "But why not content yourself with the role of a looker-on? Why can you not remain neutral?" "Because, as you yourself remarked just now, my dear baroness, I am not one of those persons who can watch others fight without taking a hand in the fight myself." "But," said Madame de la Rochaigue, quite at her wits' end, "suppose,--and it is merely a supposition, for we have decided not to think of Ernestine's marriage for a long time yet,--suppose, I say, that we did have some one in view for her, what would you do?" "I haven't the slightest idea, upon my word!" "Come, come, M. le marquis, you are not acting fairly with me. You have some scheme of your own." "Nothing of the kind. I do not know Mlle. de Beaumesnil; I have no suitor to suggest for her. I am, consequently, an entirely disinterested looker-on, and, this being the case, my dear baroness, I do not exactly understand why you should have any objection to my watching the amusing proceedings." "That is true," said Madame de la Rochaigue, recovering her composure, "for, after all, in marrying Ernestine, what can we have in view, except her happiness?" "Nothing, of course." "Consequently, we have nothing to fear from your observation, as you call it, my dear marquis." "Nothing, absolutely nothing."