“Do not set your heart on that, monsieur. My husband hates favouritism, and he is chary of granting leave; he expects lads of good family to show an example of work. And he has imbued all his colonels with his principles.” “... And the barrel of this musket,” continued M. Mauricet, “corresponds with no recognised bore, so that Rivoire can only make use of undersized cartridges. You can easily imagine …” The _préfet_ was unfolding certain arguments calculated to bring Madame Delion completely over to the government, and he concluded with this noble thought: “At the moment when the Czar is coming on a visit to France, it is necessary that the Republic should identify itself with the upper classes of the nation in order to put them in touch with our great ally, Russia.” Meanwhile, with the calm of a Madonna, Noémi was kissing feet with M. _le président_ Peloux, who had been feeling about for hers under the table. Young Gustave Delion was saying in a low voice to Madame de Gromance: “I hope that this time you will not keep me hanging about as you did on the day when you were playing the fool with that dotard of a Mauricet, whilst I had no other amusement in your yellow drawing-room than to potter with the works of the clock.” “What an excellent woman Madame Laprat-Teulet is!” exclaimed Madame Delion in a sudden outburst of affection. “Excellent,” said the _préfet_, swallowing a quarter of a pear. “It is a pity that she is as deaf as a post. Her husband also is an excellent man, and very intelligent. I am glad to see that people are beginning to readjust their views of him. He has gone through a difficult time. The enemies of the Republic wanted to compromise him in order to discredit the government. He has been the victim of schemes that aimed at excluding from Parliament the leading men belonging to the business world. Such an exclusion would lower the level of national representation and would be in all respects deplorable.” For a moment he remained thoughtful; then he said sadly: “Besides, no further scandals can be hatched; no more charges are being trumped up. And there we have one of the most grievous results of this campaign of calumny, carried on with unheard-of audacity.” “Perhaps it is as well!” sighed Madame Delion, thoughtfully and meaningly. Then suddenly, with a burst of fervour: “Monsieur _le préfet_, give us back our dear religious orders, let our Sisters of Charity return to the hospitals and our God to the schools whence you have expelled Him. No longer prevent our rearing our sons as Christians and … we shall be very near to a mutual understanding.”