"Are you not a little malicious?" "Faith, no; I do not care enough. I leave that sort of thing to the great ladies who are virtuous and ugly." "Once more, won't you come with me to the Feydeau?" "No." "Then au revoir." "Au revoir." Aurélie accompanied the general to the door of the salon, and Suzette followed him to the outer door of the apartment, which she closed and trebly locked after him. When the beautiful courtesan turned round, Coster de Saint-Victor was waiting for her on the threshold of the boudoir. She sighed, for he was marvellously handsome. CHAPTER X TWO PORTRAITS Coster de Saint-Victor had not resumed the use of powder; he wore his hair in long, flowing curls, without comb or queue. It was jet-black like his eyelashes, which shaded eyes of a deep sapphire blue, which, according to the expression he chose to give them, were at times gentle and again full of commanding power. His complexion, which was now rather pale owing to his recent loss of blood, was of a rich creamy white; his nose straight, clear-cut and irreproachable; his firm, red lips disclosed magnificent teeth; and the rest of the body, which, thanks to the fashion then in vogue, was clad to display it to the best advantage, was modelled on the lines of Antinous. The two young people looked at each other for a moment in silence. "You heard?" asked Aurélie. "Alas! yes," replied Coster. "He will sup with me, and it is your fault." "How so?" "You made me open the door." "And you are vexed because he is to sup with you?" "Of course!" "Really?" "I swear it. I am not in a humor to-night to be amiable to people I do not love." "But to him whom you love?" "Ah! for him I would be charming," replied Aurélie. "And suppose," said Coster, "that I could find a way to prevent his supping with you?" "And?" "Who would sup with you in his place?" "What a question. The man who kept him away." "And then you would not be cross?" "Oh, no!" "Give me a pledge." The beautiful courtesan held up her cheek to him, and he pressed a kiss upon it. Just then the bell rang again. "Ah! this time I warn you that if it is he who has taken it into his stupid head to return, I shall go away," said Coster de Saint-Victor. Suzette appeared. "Shall I open the door, madame?" she asked timidly. "Certainly, open it." Suzette opened it. A man carrying a large flat basket on his head came in, saying: "Supper for citizen Barras." "You hear?" asked Aurélie. "Yes," replied the incroyable; "but, on the word of Coster de Saint-Victor, he shall not eat it." "Shall I set the table just the same?" asked Suzette. "Yes," said the young man, darting from the room; "for if he does not eat it, some one else will." Aurélie followed him with her eyes as far as the door, then, when it had closed behind him, she cried: "My toilet, Suzette, and make me look more beautiful than you ever did before." "And for which of the two does madame wish to look beautiful?"