"They're very rich—aren't they?"
"Oh! very rich! although Madame Dambreuse, who was merely a Mademoiselle Boutron and the daughter of a prefect, had a very modest fortune."
Her husband, on the other hand, must have inherited several estates—Cisy enumerated them: as he visited the Dambreuses, he knew their family history.
Frederick, in order to make himself disagreeable to the other, took a pleasure in contradicting him. He maintained that Madame Dambreuse's maiden name was De Boutron, which proved that she was of a noble family.
"No matter! I'd like to have her equipage!" said the Maréchale, throwing herself back on the armchair.
And the sleeve of her dress, slipping up a little, showed on her left wrist a bracelet adorned with three opals.
Frederick noticed it.
"Look here! why——"
All three looked into one another's faces, and reddened.
The door was cautiously half-opened; the brim of a hat could be seen, and then Hussonnet's profile exhibited itself.