"Oh, yes, he is a paragon of virtue, of course. Bring me a heavy wrap; the nights are still cool."
"Has madame any orders to give for the twentieth?"
"Orders?"
"Is it possible that madame forgets her marriage is to take place one week from to-morrow?"
"What! as soon as that?"
"Certainly, madame. You decided on the twentieth of May, and this is the twelfth."
"If I said the twentieth, it will have to be the twentieth. But how strange it is. One is leading a delightful life; one is young and free, and one hates restraint, and yet one cannot give oneself another master too soon."
"A master? A man as kind and gentle as M. le duc? Why, you can make whatever you please of him, madame!"
"I shall never make a charming man of him, and yet I shall marry him. Ah, aunt, aunt, you are responsible for all this. There is one good thing about it, though. One will at least escape the bother of having to ask oneself what one had better do."
The countess proceeded in a leisurely fashion to the drawing-room, where she found her aunt and the Duc de Riancourt awaiting her.