"Then what is the meaning of this anger? You were swearing by your M. de Macreuse a minute ago!"
"Don't call him my M. de Macreuse, if you please," cried Madame de Senneterre, interrupting her son, impetuously. "Do you know the object of his visit? He came to ask me to say all I could in his praise,—in his praise, indeed!"
"But to whom, and for what purpose?"
"Did any one ever hear of such audacity!"
"But tell me his object in making this request, mother."
"His object! Why, the man wants to marry Mlle. de Beaumesnil!"
"He!"
"Did any one ever hear of such presumption?"
"Macreuse?"
"A mere nobody! A common vagrant!" cried the duchess. "Really, it is hard to imagine who could have had the audacity to introduce a creature like that into our circle."