"In the first place," said the young lady, "I wish to remind you that it is becoming very bad form for a man who follows the fashion as you do to say 'thou,' especially to ladies." "Alas!" sighed the young man, "it is especially with them that the old fashion had its uses. Brutal as it may be when addressed to a man, 'thou' has a tender charm when a lovely woman is its recipient. I have always contended that the English sustained an incalculable loss when they abandoned its use. But I am too grateful, madame, not to obey you; only allow me to repeat my question, though I change its form: Do you know me?" "Who does not know the handsome Coster de Saint-Victor, who would be the king of fashion and elegance, if the title of king were not abolished." Coster de Saint-Victor turned suddenly and looked the young lady full in the face. "Obtain the restoration of kings, madame," said he, "and I will hail the beautiful Aurélie de Saint-Amour as queen." "So you know me, too, citizen?" said the young woman, laughing. "Who does not know our modern Aspasia? This is the first time, though, that I have had the honor of seeing you so near at hand, madame, and--" "And--you were saying?" "That Paris has no need to envy Athens, nor yet Barras to envy Pericles." "Come, come! that blow on the head was not as dangerous after all as I thought." "What do you mean?" "Because it has not impaired your wit." "No," replied Coster de Saint-Victor, kissing her beautiful hand, "but it may have taken away my reason." Just then the bell rang in a peculiar fashion, and the hand which Coster was holding trembled. Aurélie's waiting-maid rose and looked uneasily at her mistress. "Madame," said she, "that is the citizen-general." "Yes," replied the latter, "I recognized his ring." "What will he say?" asked the maid. "Nothing." "What do you mean?" "I shall not open the door." The courtesan shook her head rebelliously. "You will not admit citizen-general Barras?" asked the terrified maid. "What?" cried Coster de Saint-Victor, "was that citizen Barras who rang?" "Yes," replied Mademoiselle Aurélie de Saint-Amour with a laugh, "and you see he is quite as impatient as ordinary mortals." "But, madame--" persisted the maid. "I am mistress in my own house," said the capricious courtesan, "and it pleases me to receive the citizen Coster de Saint-Victor, and it does not please me to receive citizen Barras. I open my door to the first, and I close it to the second, or rather I do not open it to the second." "Pardon me, my generous hostess," cried Coster de Saint-Victor; "but I cannot permit you to make such a sacrifice. Allow your maid to admit the general, I beg of you, and while he is in your salon I will withdraw." "And if I admit him only on condition that you do not withdraw?" "Oh! then I will remain," said Coster, "and very willingly, too, I assure you." The bell rang for the third time. "Go and open the door, Suzette," said Aurélie.