"Is it so lately, sir, that you have not heard of the forthcoming marriage of your son, my cousin, with Madame the Baroness de la Roche Vernay? Pardon, if you please, my surprise."
"Still more mysterious to me! Of a certainty, my son Charles, your cousin, is at this moment with his vessel and the Biscay fleet off the coast of Portugal. I do not understand the chance which can have brought him to Paris, however much I desire it, nor his alliance to any one here, for I saw him in person three weeks ago at Lisbon, where he never made the slightest reference to any such matter. There is some mistake, I am certain."
"Is he not the only Chevalier de Répentigny?"
"There, can be but one of the name. It is rare."
"Has he not been lately appointed to a lieutenancy in the King's Bodyguard, company of Noailles?"
"Impossible. I left him captain of the ship La Minerve. He has not, I regret to say, the influence to become an officer of the Bodyguard."
"This is something strange," remarked the Marquis de Lotbinière. "Did you inquire who this officer was? Suppose, Répentigny, he should be some distant relative of yours: he might be an addition to our influence at Court. An officer of the Bodyguard, if we can claim him as a relative, would be better than any alliance we possess, except Vaudreuil, who does nothing for us."
"There can be no harm in Louis making inquiries."
"I will call upon him. Trust me to find some connection and make use of it."
"Are you still the marvel you were at genealogies, Michel!"