"Monsieur le Baron Ladislas Potoski, Palatine of Rava and Sandomir."
When he heard those titles, the former wine merchant was like one stupefied; he dared not take a step forward or back, while Madame Chambertin twisted her mouth in every conceivable way, and did her utmost to do away with it altogether, in order to seduce the Palatine of Rava.
"Did you come here to see the ruins?" queried Dubourg, after giving his name and titles time to produce their due effect.
"Yes," replied Monsieur Chambertin; "we have not seen them yet, and one should be acquainted with his neighborhood. This Bayard must have had a very fine château, to judge by what is left of it; but he was a very good sort of man."
"He was a chevalier, wasn't he, my dear?" said Madame Chambertin, in a mincing tone.
"Yes, my love; a chevalier of the time of Louis XIV."
At that, Monsieur Ménard coughed and glanced slyly at Dubourg.
"I like to see antiquities," continued Chambertin, "ancient monuments; they're interesting when one has a certain amount of education. Is monsieur le baron here for the same purpose?"
"Faith! we were in a decidedly bad humor when we met you," said Dubourg; "we walked here from Grenoble, as we were told that it was a short three leagues, and I didn't care to wear out my horses in this mountainous country; but I hoped to find some decent inn hereabout, where we could dine; or at least some means of getting to the nearest village; I offered some peasants as much as six gold pieces to obtain a horse for me, and not one of the knaves moved.—Isn't that so, Ménard?"
"It is quite true, monsieur le baron, that we couldn't find anything at all."