She had him always at her heels,--a mirror of gallantry and a living and walking guarantee of patriotism. The _citoyenne_ complimented Gamelin on his talents and asked him if he would be willing to design a card for a protegee of hers, a fashionable milliner. He would, of course, choose an appropriate _motif_,--a woman trying on a scarf before a cheval glass, for instance, or a young workwoman carrying a band-box on her arm. She had heard several artists mentioned as competent to execute a little matter of the sort,--Fragonard _fils_, young Ducis, as well as a certain Prudhomme; but she would rather apply to the _citoyen_ Evariste Gamelin. However, she made no definite proposal on this head and it was evident she had mentioned the commission merely by way of starting the conversation. In truth she had come for something quite different. She wanted the _citoyen_ Gamelin to do her a favour; knowing he was a friend of the _citoyen_ Marat, she had come to ask him to introduce her to the Friend of the People, with whom she desired an interview. Gamelin replied that he was too insignificant an individual to present her to Marat, besides which, she had no need of anyone to be her sponsor; Marat, albeit overwhelmed with business, was not the inaccessible person he was said to be,--and, added Gamelin: "He will receive you, _citoyenne_, if you are in distress; his great heart makes him compassionate to all who suffer. He will likewise receive you if you have any revelation to make concerning the public weal; he has vowed his days to the unmasking of traitors." The _citoyenne_ Rochemaure answered that she would be happy to greet in Marat an illustrious citizen, who had rendered great services to his country, who was capable of rendering greater still, and that she was anxious to bring the legislator in question into relation with friends of hers of good repute and good will, philanthropists favoured by fortune and competent to provide him with new means of satisfying his ardent affection for humanity. "It is very desirable," she concluded, "to make the rich co-operate in securing public prosperity." In actual fact, the _citoyenne_ had promised the banker Morhardt to arrange a dinner where he and Marat should meet.