Those of a less attractive or even homely exterior assumed a _spirituelle_ or melancholy air.
In short, each and every one said to himself, like the people who allow themselves to be enticed into those lotteries that offer prizes of several millions:
"Of course it is absurd to suppose that I shall win one of these fabulous prizes. I have but one chance in nobody knows how many thousand, but somebody has got to win. Why may I not be the lucky one?"
As for the persons that composed the assemblage, they were very nearly the same who had attended the dance given by Madame de Senneterre several months before, and who had taken a more or less prominent part in the numerous conversations on the subject of Madame de Beaumesnil's approaching death.
Several of these persons also recollected the curiosity that had been expressed in regard to Mlle. de Beaumesnil, who was then in a foreign land, and whom no one had ever seen, so a majority of Madame Mirecourt's guests would consequently witness to-night the solution of the problem propounded several weeks before.
Was the richest heiress in France as beautiful as a star or as hideous as a monster? Was she glowing with health or a hopeless consumptive?
It was ten o'clock, and Madame de Mirecourt was becoming very uneasy.
Madame de Senneterre and her son had not made their appearance; Mlle. de Beaumesnil might arrive at any moment, and it had been arranged that Ernestine should be chaperoned by Madame de la Rochaigue or Madame de Senneterre the entire evening, and that Gerald should dance the first quadrille with the heiress.
Every minute the crowd increased. Among the newcomers, M. de Mornand, accompanied by M. de Ravil, advanced in the most disinterested air imaginable to pay his respects to Madame de Mirecourt, who greeted him very graciously, and innocently remarked, without the slightest suspicion how true her words were:
"I am sure you came partially to see me, but chiefly to see the lioness of the evening, Mlle. de Beaumesnil."
The prospective minister smiled as he replied, with truly diplomatic guile:
"I assure you, madame, I came only to have the honour of paying my respects to you, and to witness one of those charming fetes you alone know how to give."
After which M. de Mornand made his best bow and passed on, whispering to Ravil:
"Go and see if she is in one of the other rooms. I will remain here. Try to bring the baron to me if you see him."
De Ravil nodded an assent to his Pylades and mingled with the crowd, saying to himself, as he thought of the meeting of the day before, which he had carefully refrained from mentioning to M. de Mornand:
"So here is an heiress who wanders about lonely parts of the town, grisette fashion, and then returns to that abominable Madame Laine, who is complacently waiting for her in a cab. This last surprises me very little, however, as that unscrupulous female told me flatly, a week or so ago, that I could no longer count upon her influence. But at whose expense is she favouring this intrigue on the part of the little Beaumesnil? for there must be an intrigue, of course. That big ninny of a Mornand is no good. I might have known it. I must ferret out the truth of all this, for the more I think of it, the more convinced I am that the best thing for me to do is to drop Mornand, and devote my attention to the goose that lays the golden eggs, and, as a preliminary measure, I'll watch what goes on here this evening."
Just as the cynic vanished in the crowd, the Duchesse de Senneterre entered the room, but alone--her expression indicative of the deepest annoyance.
Madame de Mirecourt advanced a few steps to meet her, and, with the cleverness which women of the world possess in such an eminent degree, she found a way, though surrounded by a crowd of guests, and engaged to all appearance in exchanging the usual commonplaces with the duchess, to really hold the following low-toned conversation with her:
"But where is Gerald?"
"The doctor had to bleed him this evening."
"Good Heavens! what is the matter with him?"
"He has been in a terrible state ever since yesterday."
"But why did you not warn me, my dear duchess?"
"Because up to the very last minute he declared that he was coming, though he did feel so badly."
"It is too bad! Mlle. de Beaumesnil may come at any moment, and you were to have taken possession of her immediately upon her arrival."
"I know it, so I am in misery--nor is this all."
"Why, what else is troubling you, my dear duchess?"
"I cannot exactly explain why, but I have some doubts as to my son's intentions."
"What an idea!"
"He has acted so strangely of late."
"But did he not assure you this very day that, though he was far from well, he intended coming here this evening to meet Mlle. de Beaumesnil?"
"Certainly; and another thing that reassures me is that M. de Maillefort--whom Madame de la Rochaigue fears so much, and to whom my son has imprudently confided our plans--M. de Maillefort is on our side, for he knows the object of this meeting, and yet he promised to accompany Gerald and me."
"There is no help for it, I suppose, but it certainly is a fine opportunity lost. When Madame de la Rochaigue arrives with Mlle. de Beaumesnil, do not leave them for an instant, and so arrange with the baroness that the girl shall have only unattractive men for partners."
"Yes, that is very important."
Every minute or two new guests came up to pay their respects to Madame de Mirecourt.
Suddenly Madame de Senneterre made a hasty movement, then, in a quick aside to her friend, exclaimed:
"Why, that is M. de Macreuse who has just come in! Can it be you receive that creature?"
"Why, my dear duchess, I have met him at your house a hundred times; besides, it was one of my most particular friends, the sister of the Bishop of Ratopolis, Madame de Cheverny, who requested an invitation for him. You know, too, that M. de Macreuse is received everywhere on account of his St. Polycarpe Mission."
"St Polycarpe has nothing in the world to do with it. I assure you, my dear," said the duchess, interrupting her friend impatiently, "I received the man like everybody else, but I am sorry enough now, for I have discovered that he is nothing more or less than a scoundrel, a man that shouldn't be allowed in decent society. I have even heard that valuable articles have been known to disappear during his visits," added Madame de Senneterre, unblushingly.
"Great Heavens! is it possible that the man's a thief?" exclaimed Madame de Mirecourt.
"No, my dear, of course not, he only borrows a diamond or some other jewel now and then, and forgets to return it."
At that very instant M. de Macreuse, who had been watching the expression of the ladies' faces as he slowly advanced, and who shrewdly suspected that they were none too charitably inclined towards him, but who nevertheless came forward to bow to the mistress of the house with imperturbable assurance, interrupted the conversation by saying:
"I hoped, madame, to have had the honour of presenting myself here this evening under Madame de Cheverny's auspices, but unfortunately for me she is feeling far from well, and made me the bearer of her profound regrets."
"I am truly inconsolable that indisposition deprives me of the pleasure of seeing Madame de Cheverny this evening," replied Madame de Mirecourt, dryly, still under the influence of what Madame de Senneterre had just said to her.
But Macreuse was not easily disconcerted, for bowing low to the duchess this time, he said, smilingly:
"I have less occasion to regret the kind protection of my friend, Madame de Cheverny, as I may almost venture to count upon yours, madame la duchesse."
"Justly, monsieur," responded Madame de Senneterre, with bitter hauteur, "I was just speaking to Madame de Mirecourt of you when you came in, and congratulating her upon having the honour of receiving you in her house."
"I expected no less from the habitual kindness of madame la duchesse, to whom I am indebted for many valuable acquaintances in the delightful circle in which she moves," replied M. de Macreuse, in tones of the utmost respect.
After which he bowed low again, and passed on.
This protege of Abbe Ledoux, Madame de Beaumesnil's former confessor, was much too shrewd and clear-sighted not to have felt that, in his late interview with Madame de Senneterre (the interview in which he had confessed that he was an aspirant for Mlle. de Beaumesnil's hand), he had, in vulgar parlance, put his foot in it, though the duchess had ostensibly promised him her support.