"And where is this combination of rare and beautiful things to be found, monsieur?" inquired Ernestine, with great interest.
"A nice Parisienne you are, and you, too, baroness, and you, too, my sister," laughed M. de la Rochaiguë, with a knowing air, "for I see very plainly that none of you have the slightest idea where this collection of wonders is to be found, though it is almost at your very door."
"Really," began Mlle. de la Rochaiguë, "I have been trying to think."
"And you can't imagine," retorted the baron, radiant. "Ah, well, I will take pity on you. All these wonders are to be found at the Luxembourg."
"The Luxembourg!" exclaimed the baroness, laughing. Then, turning to Ernestine:
"Ah, my dear child, it is a trap, an abominable trap, M. de la Rochaiguë has set for you. You don't know my husband's passion for another of the wonders of the Luxembourg. He has taken good care not to reveal that, I'll be bound!"
"And what is this other attraction, madame?" asked the young girl, smiling.
"Ah, you poor, dear innocent, let me tell you that M. de la Rochaiguë is quite capable of taking you to a session of the Chamber of Peers, under pretext of showing you beautiful conservatories and flowers and picture-galleries."
"Well, why should I not take her into the diplomatic gallery, if she wishes?" retorted the baron. "She will find plenty of good company there in the shape of the fortunate wives of foreign ambassadors and ministers,—for I maintain that there is not a more delightful, charming, and enviable position in the world than that of the wife of a minister and ambassador. Ah, my dear wife," added this unknown Canning, turning to the baroness, "what would I not give to be able to elevate you to such a position. You would be envied, flattered, adored! You would become, I am sure, a wonderfully clever politician! It is not unlikely that you would even control the state, perhaps. Could any woman desire a grander rôle?"
"You see what a dangerous flatterer M. de la Rochaiguë is, my dear child," remarked the baroness. "He is quite capable of imbuing you with a taste for politics, too."