There was a general cry of:—
‘Mademoiselle: the very person we were in need of. You know everything. Tell us all about the Présidente Tambonneau, but avoid, in your narration, an excessive charity.’
‘If you talk with the tongues of men and of Angels and yet have Charity, ye are become as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal,’ said Madame Cornuel in her clear, slow voice. She spoke rarely, but when she did it was with the air of enunciating an oracle.
‘Humph! That is a fault that you are rarely guilty of!’ growled Montausier quite audibly.
‘The Présidente Tambonneau? No new extravagance of hers has reached my ears. What is there to tell?’ said the new-comer. She spoke in a loud, rather rasping voice, and still went on smiling civilly.
‘Oh, you ladies of the Marais, every one is aware that you are omniscient, and yet you are perfect misers of your historiettes!’
‘Sappho, we must combine against the quartier du Palais Cardinal, albeit they do call us “omniscient.” It sounds infinitely galant, but I am to seek as to its meaning,’ said Madame Cornuel.
‘Ask Mademoiselle, she is in the last intimacy with the Maréchal des mots; it is reported he has raised a whole new company to fight under his Pucelle.’
‘From all accounts, she is in sore need of support, poor lady. Madame de Longueville says she is “parfaitement belle mais parfaitement ennuyeuse,”’ said Mademoiselle de Rambouillet very dryly.