Monsieur de la Thomassinière, dressed like a dandy and aping the manners of good society, but always affording a glimpse of the days of the _Learned Ass_, was forever talking about "my estate, my property, my servants, my horses." His wife was his only possession as to whom he did not use the possessive pronoun. As for madame, a lively, volatile, giddy creature, with no thought for anything save dress and amusements, she never spoke to monsieur except to ask him for money, or to talk about some festivity that she proposed to give. "Ah! here are our dear friends!" said Monsieur Destival, hastening forward to offer his hand to Madame de la Thomassinière to help her alight, while monsieur gazed admiringly at his horses and gorgeous livery. "Good-morning, Destival.--Lapierre, be careful of the horses.--Madame, allow me to offer my respects.--Cover my calèche, you fellows, it may rain in.--We have come without ceremony. It doesn't put you out to have me bring a few of my people, does it?" "Of course not! I have enough to board and lodge them," replied Monsieur Destival, biting his lips, because his modest cabriolet was completely eclipsed by the superb calèche, and Baptiste and Julie, who composed his whole staff of domestics, would be hidden by a single one of the tall rascals whom Monsieur de la Thomassinière carried in his train. But these reflections did not prevent the exchange of the usual courtesies, they simply made him ambitious to enlarge his household; and so, as he led the young woman into the house, our business agent said to himself: "I must find a wife for Dalville, sell Monin's drug shop, and buy a house for him; then I will have a little groom--a negro--and dress him in red, so that he can be seen a long way off." The two ladies embraced. "Good-morning, my dear girl." "Good-morning, dear." "How sweet of you to come to see us!" "We are going to stay until to-morrow." "How lovely your hats always are!" "Do you think so?" "Fascinating. I like that style of dress ever so much." "It's the latest--not quite low enough in the neck." "Why, yes. I must have some of that material; it's very stylish." "Oh! it's very simple; the dress cost only two hundred francs. But for the country, and for calls on one's friends--I'll give you my dressmaker's address."