"Would it be impertinence if I asked you to let me see it?" she said with a smile.
"I thank you, Madame; you flatter me by your request."
The Dowager Duchess, with whom the Princess had been spending three weeks at her Château of Castel-Montjoie, was now presented to Mme. Darbois. She was a lovable and delightful old lady, with a great appreciation of art and science. Both ladies had been present with the Duke at the last Conservatoire competition, and they expressed to Esperance, Genevieve and Jean the enjoyment their performances had given them. The Duchess was much struck by Genevieve's proud beauty, and said to Maurice, "Ah! Monsieur, what another beautiful portrait you could make! This young lady is much more beautiful close to than even on the stage!" And she added a kind and appreciative word for the classic talent of Jean Perliez.
Tea was to be served in the little beautiful convolvulus garden. When they entered this shelter, which a poet might have designed, the Duchess exclaimed enviously, "What a heavenly spot. Who is the inspired person who has arranged this mysterious flowery retreat for you?"
The philosopher pointed to Maurice and the girls.
The Princess admired it, and the conversation rippled on. "We are come to trouble your bower with a plea for charity! Every year, the Duchess gives a garden party in her beautiful park at Montjoie for the benefit of the 'Orphans of the Fishermen.' There is a little open-air theatre, where some of the greatest actors have appeared. Little rustic booths, shops where you pay a great deal for nothing at all, and a thousand other distractions. We are come, the Duchess and I, drawn by a very pretty star, Esperance. She will not deny us her light, our lovely little star?" she concluded, bending towards Esperance.
"But, Madame," murmured Esperance, "my decision—my promises do not depend on myself alone, now."
The Duchess extracted a letter from her gold mesh bag and held it towards her.
"You are perfectly right, my dear child," she said easily. "I also foresaw that objection, so I wrote to your fiancé, even before speaking to you, for which I must apologize, and here is his answer."
Esperance read the little missive bearing the Styvens's arms and handed it back to the Duchess.