“My dear, you must not dream of such a thing!” cried Madame de Salgues in great alarm. “A young lady to venture into the midst of a city occupied by a hostile army! Who ever heard of such a piece of insanity?” “Grandmamma, the city is as quiet as if the allied sovereigns had only come to pay us a visit of ceremony,” said Emile. “The shops are driving a splendid trade; only I am afraid our clever Parisians contrive to cheat the strangers outrageously. The Rentes have risen already since the Occupation from forty-five to seventy.” (Madame de Talmont and Clémence exchanged glances of satisfaction.) “You could run no risk in Paris, Clémence, unless it should come into your head to say a word against the Emperor of Russia; and of that there is no danger, because ladies always take care to be in the fashion. Dame Fashion herself has become a Russian just now. We have bonbons à la Cosaque, bonnets à la Rostopchine, dinner services adorned with pictures of the entry of the Allies, and I know not what follies besides. But it is the most wonderful triumph of Alexander that he is actually bringing into fashion the very thing most scorned and laughed at in the Paris of our days. Can you guess what I mean?” “Good manners and decorum,” said Madame de Salgues. “_Religion_,” said Madame de Talmont. “You are right, ma cousine,” answered Emile. “Alexander ascribes all his victories, not to his own skill or prowess, nor to that of his army, but to Providence. Strange to say, his followers do the same. Veteran officers scarred with wounds and decorated with orders, and brilliant young guardsmen evidently of the first fashion, hold the same language. They tell you, apparently with the most naïve simplicity, that God, not themselves, has done it all.[52] Our Parisians, who for years have scarcely uttered the name of God except to scoff at it, find this piety delightful--for a change. But the clear-sighted understand that this sort of language is dictated, if not by policy, at least by a refined and delicate courtesy. They are gentlemen, these Russians, and they adopt this tone to avoid wounding our sensitive pride.” “Do you then find it so much easier to believe in chivalrous courtesy towards man than in piety towards God?” asked Clémence. Emile did not answer; and, after a pause, Madame de Talmont observed,-- “But you said there were generous deeds as well as gracious words. Those, after all, are the most reliable; and at least it is pleasant to hear of them.” “Then I have one to tell of, certainly upon a scale of imperial magnificence. Alexander has just restored to freedom--without ransom and without conditions--all the Frenchmen who are prisoners in Russia. It is said they number one hundred and fifty thousand. They are to return immediately to France.--How?--what is it, my cousins?--what has happened?” It was no wonder he asked, for at his words Madame de Talmont had fainted. CHAPTER XXVIII. DRIFTING. “To that new land which is the old.”