“It would be easier for you to make yourself prime-minister,” said Madame Marion. “There will never be any alliance between the granddaughter of Grevin and the Cinq-Cygnes.”
“Romeo came within an ace of marrying Juliet,” remarked Achille Pigoult, “and Mademoiselle is more beautiful than—”
“Oh! if you are going to quote operas and opera beauties!” said Herbelot the notary, naively, having finished his game of whist.
“My legal brother,” said Achille Pigoult, “is not very strong on the history of the middle ages.”
“Come, Malvina!” said the stout notary to his wife, making no reply to his young associate.
“Tell me, Monsieur Antonin,” said Cecile to the sub-prefect, “you spoke of Anicette, the maid of the Princesse de Cadignan; do you know her?”
“No, but Julien does; she is the goddaughter of his father, and they are good friends together.”
“Then try, through Julien, to get her to live with us. Mamma wouldn’t consider wages.”
“Mademoiselle, to hear is to obey, as they say to despots in Asia,” replied the sub-prefect. “Just see to what lengths I will go in order to serve you.”
And he left the room to give Julien orders to go with Anicette in the chariot and coax her away from the princess at any price.