"The preamble is perfect! Come down to the facts, advocate." "Well! this is what people say: for several months past, Jarnonville has been a frequent visitor at the Hôtel de Marvejols, where the young countess lives." "Oh! the deuce! is it so? And what does he go there for?" "Why, it seems to me to be very easy to guess; he goes to see our friend Léodgard's wife." "The bath keeper's daughter!" "Hush! you wretch! Suppose Léodgard should hear you! He will not allow anyone to speak of his wife, either kindly or unkindly. Only a few days ago, the young Vicomte de Saunois ventured in his presence to jest about ill-assorted marriages; he threw his glove in his face, and the next morning he killed Saunois by running him through with his sword." "What do we care for all that?--Let us return to Jarnonville; so he goes to pay court to the little countess, eh?" "I cannot tell you absolutely why he goes to the Hôtel de Marvejols, but he goes there very often; and they say that, despite her low birth, this young countess is extremely pretty." "Indeed!" "And it is since Jarnonville has been going to see that young woman that his melancholy has vanished, that his eyes have lost their savage expression." "And that he has worn a blue cloak! Ha! ha! this is delicious!--Pardieu! messeigneurs, I consider it most diverting that this ill-tamed ex-bear should hunt on Léodgard's preserves, who, by the way, has become far from agreeable since he became rich!" "Oh! that would be a most excellent joke!" "It is possible to hunt on another part of his domains," said Sénange, playing with his moustache; "but I take that task upon myself." "Ah! is it so?" rejoined the young men, laughingly; "it is evident that the Comte de Marvejols is beset on all sides." The two persons who were the subjects of this conversation were in the garden at the time. Léodgard, pausing beside a basin surrounded by flowers, with which lights of all colors were mingled, gazed gloomily at the reflection of the hyacinths and lilies in the water; it is probable that he did not appreciate the charm of that portion of the garden, where the water cooled the air, where the illuminations were not so brilliant as to tire the eye; yet he remained there, musing, lost in thought.