Such a scene in the salon! The Baronne seated on the large sofa with Jean; Godmamma and the mother of the young man in two of the armchairs; while Victorine fumbled with some music on the piano with the _dame de compagnie_, whom Héloise calls "_le Remorqueur_," because she looks like a teeny tug pulling along a coal barge (Victorine). The Marquis was standing up by himself--with his hat and gloves in his hand--first on one foot, then on the other; and Marie and Yolande were making horrid, shuffling, squeaking noises, sliding on the _parquet_ by the window. [Sidenote: _Wandering Glances_] When I was introduced and had made a reverence to the old ladies, the Marquis was presented, and when we had done bowing, he said: "Vous êtes anglaise, mademoiselle?" and, even for that, Victorine's eyes shot two yellow flames at me! Héloise nipped my arm to tell me to talk, so of course everything went out of my head, and I could only think of "Oui, monsieur." Just then breakfast was announced, and we all went in arm-in-arm, Godmamma and the Marquis together. It is a huge round table, and I had done the flowers, because they wanted to be shown how we have tables in England. I was next but one to the Marquis, with Héloise between. We had scarcely sat down, when he began. How beautiful the table looked, and what taste in the flowers! Upon which Héloise said, that they _were_ lovely, and were the arrangement of her "_chère petite belle-soeur!_" and she smiled angelically at Victorine, who looked down with conscious pride. Then Héloise said that it was a great joy in life to have the absorbing love of flowers as Victorine had! and I could not help laughing, because Victorine doesn't know one from another, and would not even help me this morning. The Marquis looked and looked at me when I laughed, and then lifting his glass of _vin ordinaire_, he said: "Les belles dents rendent gai." Wasn't it nice of him? I think it is hard he should be tied to Victorine. He talked to me all the time after that, across Héloise, and considering she told me to be agreeable to him, I don't see why she should have been annoyed. After breakfast--which we left as usual arm-in-arm--we sat in the salon, while the Marquis and Jean went back to smoke. It was appalling! If Victorine had been a four-legged cat, she would have spit at me, but fortunately the two-legged ones can't spit in drawing-rooms, so I escaped. The Baronne, after a good deal of manoeuvring, got by me near the window, and then said in a distinct voice, "Ma petite chérie j'ai trop chaud, donnez-moi votre bras un instant;" and so we got outside on the terrace, where the huge orange trees in pots stand. [Sidenote: _A Lecture on Duty_]