The whole party had assembled in the dining-room; even La Thomassinière, having waked with a tremendous appetite, had not devised any previous business which would have vexed his stomach, and he bestowed a most affable nod upon Dalville, which meant that his wife had informed him that she proposed to receive the young man at their house. Madame Destival too seemed desirous to be reconciled to Auguste, who had treated her coldly since the scene in the courtyard. "I must be in Paris before noon," said La Thomassinière, shuffling a mass of papers that he took from his wallet; "I have ten appointments for to-day. I am sure that at least twenty people have called at my house before this. A little more coffee, if you please. It isn't Mocha----" "I beg your pardon," said Destival, as he poured out some for him. "Oh, no! I assure you that isn't; I know what I am talking about. I laid in lately a _consequential_ supply; it's very different from this." "I must be in Paris this morning," said Destival, puffing himself out; "I have numerous matters on the carpet, some of great importance! Monin wants to buy a house, and I have just what he wants." "Who's he? that little man who bet two sous at écarté?" "The very same." "What! that fellow buy houses! I shouldn't have suspected it; his coat was very threadbare--and patched on the elbows." "Oh! that means nothing in the country." "Never mind! you must admit that a man in a threadbare coat doesn't promise great things--it doesn't give you a very exalted idea of his wit. Oh! I have a keen glance, I have; and then, being used to seeing only rich and well-dressed people,--I say, footman, just tell my people to harness up, to put my horses to my calèche." "I expect my milliner this morning," said Athalie; "she is to bring me the sweetest bonnet. We must go at full speed, monsieur, for I am very anxious to try on that bonnet." "You are aware, madame, that my steeds do not travel like cab-horses. I feed them rather well, and they cost me so much that I can afford to make them gallop." "Baptiste," Monsieur Destival called to his servant, who was leaving the room, "you will hitch up too, do you understand?" "That's the way," muttered Baptiste, "no sooner out of the kitchen than I must go to the stable!" "I say, Baptiste, while you're about it, tell my little Tony to put the horse to my cabriolet," said Dalville, smiling at the pompous air of La Thomassinière, who said, rubbing his hands: "On my word, it's very pleasant for each to have his own carriage; it's very genteel; one is certain at all events that one is with _comme il faut_ people. To be sure, you have only cabriolets, but everybody can't have a calèche, a coupé and a landau, like me." "What, are you going too, Monsieur Dalville?" asked Madame Destival, with a most expressive glance at the young man; "this is polite, everybody abandons me!"