"Make yourself perfectly at home," he said; "I will leave you."

And Monsieur de la Thoma.s.siniere, left to himself at the desk, scratched his head, looked at the pens, and wrote nothing at all, for the reason that he had nothing to write and no letter to send. But a man involved in great speculations should always seem preoccupied, and pretend that he needs a writing desk; that impresses fools and credulous folk, and sometimes people of good sense even; the professional schemers are the only ones who do not allow themselves to be gulled by such petty wiles, because they often use them themselves.

On leaving La Thoma.s.siniere, Monsieur Destival returned to Monsieur Monin, who did not take offence because no attention was paid to him, his wife having accustomed him to that.

"Well, neighbor, have you sold that drug shop?" queried the business agent, slapping Monsieur Monin on the shoulder.

"Not yet, neighbor. It vexes me, because, I'll tell you, those who have taken my place temporarily aren't used to it as I am, and----"

"I'll sell it for you. I hope to see you in Paris next winter, Monsieur Monin, and to know you better."

"Certainly, monsieur."

"You must come to our house to play cards."

"Do you play loo?"

"No, but ecarte, and boston. I have a very pretty house to sell you."

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes, it's a great opportunity; the price is nothing at all."

"Is it insured?"

"I don't know; we will talk about all those things later; go out and take a turn in the garden. I am going to find out if they have any idea of giving us some luncheon."

Monin left the room; as Monsieur Destival turned to do likewise he confronted his wife, who exclaimed:

"What, monsieur! you have asked Monsieur Monin to call on us in Paris?"

"To be sure, madame."

"It's well enough in the country, because he's a neighbor. But in town!

A man who can't say anything or do anything, and who knows no game but loo!"

"He is rich, madame."

"What if he is? that doesn't prevent his being as stupid as an owl."

"He won't be the first stupid person who has been to my house, madame.

When one receives a great deal of company, it can't be otherwise. And besides, with your men of intellect, your authors and your poets, there's not a sou to be made."

"If you're so fond of money, monsieur, why do you invite so many people to your country house? It is ruinously extravagant, monsieur."

"Never fear, madame; I invite none but those who may be useful to me.

Oh! I am very shrewd, I look a long way ahead. La Thoma.s.siniere is a valuable acquaintance, and I am very desirous to become intimate with him. I know that he often makes himself very ridiculous, that he tries to play the great man, and that the role isn't suited to him; that he occasionally makes blunders in speaking that smell horribly of his origin; that he is tiresome beyond words with his carriage, his estates, his property and his servants, whom he is forever throwing in one's face; but for all that, he's a man for whom I have a peculiar esteem and regard, because, as I told you just now, madame, I look a long way ahead.--But how about luncheon?"

"Speak to Baptiste, monsieur; I have given my orders to Julie."

Madame Destival went into the garden, where the pet.i.te-maitresse was strolling about, gathering a bouquet.

"I am picking your flowers, you see," she said.

"You are doing just right, my dear love; pray take all that you please."

"Your garden is lovely."

"Oh! it isn't very extensive; but there is plenty of shade, and that's what I like."

"So do I. I have had a forest planted on our estate at Fleury. It will be delicious, I a.s.sure you."

"But before it grows----"

"Oh! we have set out nothing but large trees. I will send you an invitation for next month. I am waiting for the painting and decorating I am having done to be finished, before going there for a month. But I shall take plenty of guests; for I don't like the country except with a lot of people about."

"For my part, I am rather fond of solitude."

"Mon Dieu! I should die if I were alone a single day!"

"So you don't like reading?"

"Yes, I do, for a moment or two, in bed; but not long at a time; it tires me."

"And music?"

"I play and sing only when someone is listening to me."

"Drawing?"

"Oh! that was all right at boarding-school! I mean to have a little theatre on my estate, and we will have theatricals there; that's great fun. I used to act often at boarding-school. I was particularly fond of the parts in which I changed dresses."

"What a child you are!"

"What would you have? one must pa.s.s the time somehow. If I had nothing but my husband to amuse me, great heaven! where should we be? A man who thinks of nothing but figures and exchange and heaven knows what. These business men are very disagreeable."

The ladies, having turned into another path, found themselves in the neighborhood of Monsieur Monin, who had stopped and seemed to be in a sort of trance before a plum tree laden with very large fruit. At sight of the ladies he took off his hat and muttered: "How's your--" But he did not finish the sentence, because he remembered that he had already paid his respects to them in the salon; so he turned and pointed to the tree, saying: "That tree bears very fine fruit."

"Why, my dear, you don't mean that you have fruit trees in your garden?"

cried the pet.i.te-maitresse; "why, that's the worst possible form; you must take them all away and set out in their place ebony-trees, acacias, and sycamores."

"Oh! our garden makes no pretensions," rejoined Madame Destival, biting her lips with anger; "it isn't a park such as you have on your place, and Monsieur Destival is very fond of fruit."

"He is quite right," said Monin, who had walked nearer to the plum tree when Madame de la Thoma.s.siniere spoke of taking it up. "Fruit is the body's friend when it's good and ripe. But I was just going to say----"

"And monsieur's plums!" continued the younger woman. "Dear, dear! they are very vulgar; they should be left for the servants."

"Oh! when Monsieur Destival has made a fortune, then we will have a separate orchard; but meanwhile we are simple enough to be content with a small country place. What would you have? We were not born in a palace--in the lap of grandeur."