"I cannot be mistaken! What a fortunate meeting! It surely is Monsieur Frédéric de Montreville!"
And he threw his arms about Frédéric, who also feigned surprise and cried:
"What! why! it is Monsieur de—Monsieur du——"
"Baron Potoski!" whispered Dubourg.
"Monsieur le Baron Potoski!"
During this recognition, which took place on the edge of the ditch, Monsieur Ménard outdid himself in salutations, pulling Frédéric gently by his coat-tails the while, in order to lead him back to the highroad, which seemed to him a more suitable place for his introduction to the noble Pole.
At last, Dubourg turned to Ménard, and said, addressing Frédéric:
"Have I the honor of seeing monsieur le comte your father?" And he bestowed upon the tutor the most gracious and most dignified smile imaginable.
"No," said Frédéric; "but he has been a second father to me. Allow me to present Monsieur Ménard, my former tutor."
"Monsieur Ménard!" said Dubourg, assuming an expression of unfeigned admiration, and gazing at the tutor as one might gaze at Voltaire. "What! can it be that this is Monsieur Ménard? Peste! I have often heard of him; the primus inter pares of tutors! How delighted I am to make his acquaintance! Tandem felix, Monsieur Ménard, since I know you."