This protégé of Abbé Ledoux, Madame de Beaumesnil's former confessor, was much too shrewd and clear-sighted not to have felt that, in his late interview with Madame de Senneterre (the interview in which he had confessed that he was an aspirant for Mlle. de Beaumesnil's hand), he had, in vulgar parlance, put his foot in it, though the duchess had ostensibly promised him her support.
Too late Macreuse awoke to the fact that the duchess had a marriageable son, and the haughty and sarcastic greeting she had just given him confirmed this pious young man's suspicions; but he troubled himself very little about this hostility, feeling sure, from Mlle. Helena de la Rochaiguë's reports, that he was not only the first suitor in the field, but that he had already made a deep impression upon the young heiress by his touching melancholy and piety.
So, full of hope, M. de Macreuse first satisfied himself that Mlle. de Beaumesnil was not in the room, and then stationed himself in a convenient place to watch for her arrival, resolved to take advantage of the first opportune moment to invite her to dance.
"Did any one ever see anything to equal his impudence?" exclaimed Madame de Senneterre, as the abbé's protégé moved away.
"Really, my dear duchess, what you tell me astonishes me beyond measure. And to think that M. de Macreuse is regarded as a model of virtue and piety almost everywhere!"
"A fine model he is! There are plenty of other things I could tell you about him, too—"
But interrupting herself, Madame de Senneterre exclaimed:
"Here comes Mlle. de Beaumesnil at last. Ah, what a pity it is that Gerald is not here!"
"Oh, well, you can console yourself with the thought that Mlle. de Beaumesnil will hear nothing but your son's praises the entire evening. Remain here, and I will bring the dear child to you. You and the baroness must not leave her even for a moment."
And Madame de Mirecourt advanced to meet Mlle. de Beaumesnil, who had just come in, accompanied by M. and Madame de la Rochaiguë.