"Have you any debts?" he at last asked of his companion, after many
other inquiries.
"No, monsieur."
"What, you pay for all you have?"
"Punctually; otherwise we should lose our credit, and every sort of
respect."
"But at least you have more than one mistress? Ah, you blush, comrade!
Well, manners have changed. All these notions of lawful order,
Kantism, and liberty have spoilt the young men. You have no Guimard
now, no Duthe, no creditors--and you know nothing of heraldry; why, my
dear young friend, you are not fully fledged. The man who does not sow
his wild oats in the spring sows them in the winter. If I have but
eighty thousand francs a year at the age of seventy, it is because I
ran through the capital at thirty. Oh! with my wife--in decency and
honor. However, your imperfections will not interfere with my
introducing you at the Pavillon Planat. Remember, you have promised to
come, and I shall expect you."
"What an odd little old man!" said Longueville to himself. "He is so
jolly and hale; but though he wishes to seem a good fellow, I will not
trust him too far."
Next day, at about four o'clock, when the house party were dispersed
in the drawing-rooms and billiard-room, a servant announced to the
inhabitants of the Villa Planat, "Monsieur DE Longueville." On hearing
the name of the old admiral's protege, every one, down to the player
who was about to miss his stroke, rushed in, as much to study
Mademoiselle de Fontaine's countenance as to judge of this phoenix of
men, who had earned honorable mention to the detriment of so many
rivals.
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