"Speaking of madame, Monsieur Plays, she seems to have become a _lionne_[O] in her retirement." "A _lionne_! my wife! Why, no; far from it, I assure you! on the contrary, her disposition has become more tractable; she is very mild and gentle now." "You don't understand me, Monsieur Plays; by _lionne_, we men of fashion mean an eccentric woman, one who is very far advanced in the modern ideas of progress." "What! you think my wife is advanced?" "And, I may say, a woman who smokes. Isn't it a fact that Madame Plays indulges in that pleasure now?" "My wife smoke! never! Oh! you are entirely mistaken. I can guess why you ask me that; you noticed that she smelt of tobacco, didn't you?" "Faith! yes, Monsieur Plays, I did notice it; and, if I must tell you, I am not the only person in this company who has noticed it." "I believe you; oh! I can readily believe you, as I have noticed it myself, and this evening isn't the first time that my wife has exhaled an odor of smoking tobacco. Ever since she took me off to our country place, where we lived like bears, I have noticed that same odor; and I have said to myself more than once: 'My wife smells of tobacco, and it seems to me that the smell is getting stronger and stronger.'" "And you haven't asked madame what caused it?" "I beg your pardon; one day I ventured to say to her: 'Herminie, are you in the habit of smoking in private? if you are, don't mind me, I beg you; smoke as much as you please!'" "Well?" "Well, my wife considered my question very impertinent, and she punished me--that is to say, she ordered me not to---- But, excuse me, this seems to be a very interesting hand; a gentleman has just made the _odd_; I must try to understand." Monsieur Plays turned his attention to the whist table once more, and the young man walked away with his friends, having obtained no new light. While this conversation was taking place, Madame Baldimer, noticing Madame Plays alone on a divan, went and seated herself by her side. The two ladies were slightly acquainted, having met rather often at Count Dahlborne's receptions, and Herminie had no suspicion that it was the fair American for whom the fickle Albert had purchased a shawl like hers. "What has become of you lately, madame? it seems an age since we saw you at any sort of festivity; and everybody has been lamenting it." The tone in which Madame Baldimer spoke might, to some people, have seemed slightly satirical; but Madame Plays saw only amiability therein, and she replied, with a long-drawn sigh: "I thank you, madame; it is too kind of you to believe that people think of me; but I have been in close retirement, as was very natural after the painful event of which I was the cause, and for which I reproach myself so bitterly! Ah! I dared not show my face!" Madame Baldimer, after putting her smelling-bottle to her nose, with a muttered: "This is very strange; it smells like a tobacco factory here!" leaned toward Madame Plays, and said: