"What would you have? It seems that it is quite a romantic story. They say that the girl, who was a model of virtue, was seduced by that scapegrace of a Léodgard--for the gentleman is said to be a sad rake. And then, the affair having had certain--er--consequences, the girl was turned out of doors by her parents, and but for a friend who assisted her and gave her shelter she would probably have died in the street; for the dashing Léodgard had abandoned her!" "That was very wrong! He should have given her money--a great deal of money!" "He has never had any too much for himself; though now, they say, he spends as much as a sultan!--To make my story short, the father learned all from the girl's friend, who went to see him. He summoned all the parties before him, and it was then that the Duc de Montaulac and Monsieur de Freilly were present. He told his son that he owed reparation to the father of the girl he had seduced. This father is an old soldier, so it seems; the marquis gave the count his choice between marrying the girl and fighting a duel with her father?" "And Léodgard preferred the marriage? It is inconceivable!" "He refused at first; he even rejected the proposition with contempt. Then, all of a sudden--no one knows how it came about--he changed his mind and consented to marry. The ceremony took place instantly, in the chapel of the Hôtel de Marvejols. A venerable priest had been summoned. Everything was ready. The rite was performed." "I cannot get over my surprise! No, it passes my understanding. The new bridegroom will not have the audacity to present his wife at court, I presume?" "It seems that after the marriage the bride's parents gave up their bathing establishment and went to live in the provinces." "What a pity! we might have gone to the Comte de Marvejols's father-in-law's place to bathe! That might have become the fashion." "As for the old marquis, he has given his mansion on Place Royale to the young bride, so they say. It seems that he has lavished gifts upon her; he has settled an enormous income upon her. But he has arranged it so that his son cannot touch it; in short, he has determined that the young woman shall have an independent fortune.--It is certain that with the sort of life that Comte Léodgard is leading now few fortunes could stand the strain.--Finally, the old marquis has left Paris; he has gone to his fine estate of Champfleury, announcing that he does not propose to leave it again." "That is a very strange series of events!--Do the new husband and wife live happily?" "Oh, yes! for they do not live together. On the very day of his marriage, Comte Léodgard left his wife and returned to his _petite maison_ in Rue de Bretonvilliers. As for the new countess, she has taken up her abode in the Hôtel de Marvejols, and I am assured that the count, her husband, has not set his foot inside the door since she took possession."