"The change seems to me very easy to explain, monsieur le comte. Before this meeting, your wife was still in your eyes the youthful beauty with whom you were in love and of whom you were jealous; your memories were the more bitter because they always recalled the treachery of a very fascinating person! To-day that same person appears before you with twenty years more upon her, and she is so changed that you have difficulty in recognizing her. You realized then that you were still in love with, and unhappy about, a person who no longer exists. For to you, who have passed nearly twenty years without seeing your wife, her beauty has entirely vanished; whereas to those who have seen her constantly, she may still appear beautiful. As a man of much wit once said: 'How do you expect that one person should notice that another grows old, when they see each other every day?'--Hence I conclude, Monsieur de Brevanne, that sentiments of regret are much less poignant when the object regretted has ceased to be what it once was." "I believe that there is much truth in what you say. But have you seen Madame de Grangeville lately, Monsieur de Merval?" "Yes, I too met her at the Glumeaus', in Paris, some time before the festivity in question. I had seen Madame de Grangeville more recently than you had, for I had caught sight of her occasionally at the play or at concerts; but I never ventured to speak to her; the false position which she occupied imposed that restraint upon me. At the Glumeaus', it was she who accosted me and attempted to renew our acquaintance; she even invited me to call upon her." "And you accepted that invitation?" "I should have been afraid of being discourteous if I failed to do so." "And does she still make the same show, is she still as fashionable as ever? For she was a coquette in everything; she must have the most sumptuous furniture; the most trivial object in her apartments must have the stamp of the most refined elegance!" Monsieur de Merval shook his head slightly as he replied: "Oh, no! it's not like that at all now; Madame de Grangeville's household has undergone the same change as her person!" "Is it possible that her tastes have changed too?" "Oh, no! not her tastes! I presume that they are still the same; but it is her means that have changed; I believe that she is ruined!" "Ruined!" "Or practically so!" "But she had twelve thousand francs a year!" "Yes, but that was twenty years ago; and in twenty years, a person who loves luxury and pleasure can consume much more than that. In fact, I found Madame de Grangeville in a small and very modest apartment, on a fourth floor; and the furniture of that apartment was very far from handsome!" "And how many servants?" "How many servants? Why, just one; and I fancy that one was sufficient. I saw a sort of lady's maid, who doubtless does everything." The count's face darkened. He was silent for some moments, then muttered: