He had gone into the minutiae
of dandyism, while poor La Briere was about to present himself with
the negligence of a man without hope. Germain, as he waited at dinner
could not help smiling to himself at the contrast. After the second
course, however, the valet came in with a diplomatic, that is to say,
uneasy air.
"Does Monsieur le baron know," he said to Canalis in a low voice,
"that Monsieur the grand equerry is coming to Graville to get cured of
the same illness which has brought Monsieur de La Briere and Monsieur
le baron to the sea-shore?"
"What, the little Duc d'Herouville?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"Is he coming for Mademoiselle de La Bastie?" asked La Briere,
coloring.
"So it appears, monsieur."
"We are cheated!" cried Canalis looking at La Briere.
"Ah!" retorted Ernest quickly, "that is the first time you have said,
'we' since we left Paris: it has been 'I' all along."
"You understood me," cried Canalis, with a burst of laughter. "But we
are not in a position to struggle against a ducal coronet, nor the
duke's title, nor against the waste lands which the Council of State
have just granted, on my report, to the house of Herouville.
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