"As you say, it is her Christian name; didn't you know it?"
"No, monsieur; but, having known Madame de Sainte-Suzanne only a very short time, that is not surprising."
"Why do you call her de Sainte-Suzanne? She never had a sign of a de before her name."
"Oh! I thought that she was of noble birth."
"You are very much mistaken. In fact, I don't think she is much of a saint either! So she ought to be called plain Suzanne; but that isn't sonorous enough for her; so give her the de if it gives you any pleasure. I have no objection!"
"Has monsieur known the lady a long while?"
"Oh! yes, monsieur, a very long while."
Chamoureau hesitated awhile, but at last decided to falter:
"And monsieur is—er—intimately acquainted with—er—Madame de—Madame Sainte—er—Madame Suzanne?"
Beauregard laughed heartily as he replied in the satirical tone habitual to him: