"And the German princes?" . . . "Have as much hope of gaining, as you have chances of losing; for you pass at Vienna for something worse than a demon." "I do! . . . You are joking, Dominique!" "I wish I were! but it is only too true. . . . Your reputation as a man of gallantry, a voluptuary, a flirt, and a sybarite, has reached even Vienna; in the eyes of these grave Germans, you are a Will'-o'-the-wisp, a sprite, a sylph,--something, in short, as brilliant as subtle, unaccountable and dangerous. Two centuries ago, they would have received you with a power of exorcisms and holy water . . . but in this philosophic and enlightened age, they will content themselves with shutting the door in your face, and saying _vade retro_, for they would think you are the devil himself; and unhappily your lawsuit will be definitely settled in two weeks by these three judges! . . . Ah! may Pluto . . . have them some day for their comfort!" added Dominique, by way of imprecation. After a long silence, the Marquis rose, wrote a few words, rang his bell, and gave his letter to a servant, saying: "Carry this to the house of Madame Rohan-Soubise; ask for Dame Martha, and wait for an answer." "This evening I shall start for Vienna," said Létorière to his professor. "You mean, then, to go in search of adventures, to seduce your judges? It is true that Alcibiades ate the black broth of the Spartans, made a centaur of himself in Thrace, and crowned himself with violets, while he sang voluptuous songs to the effeminate Ionians." "I have no intention of fascinating my judges, my old friend; but in some cases it is better to see with one's own eyes." The conversation between Dominique and his former pupil continued for some time, and turned upon the particular circumstances of the lawsuit. At the end of half an hour, the lackey returned, bringing a note for Létorière, who cried out in great astonishment: "What can she be thinking of? But if she wishes, let it be so . . ." Then he ordered his carriage and went out, praying Dominique to hasten the preparations for his departure that very evening. CHAPTER VIII THE CHATEAU SOUBISE Four persons were chatting in a charming little boudoir, inlaid with the red lacker of Coromandel. The furniture of this delightful room, one of the marvels of the Rohan-Soubise Chateau, was covered with brocade of silver ground with large designs in crimson. The curtains of the windows and doors, made of similar material, fell in graceful folds. A Japanese vase of gold, purple and blue, three feet in height, filled with flowers, and placed before the window, resembled an enamelled screen of the most brilliant colors. On _étagères_ of massive silver, delicately chased and inlaid with charming coral medallions, the work of some famous Florentine artist, were to be seen a quantity of Chinese knick-knacks, impossible to describe on account of their oddity.