"Men play as many parts to get married as mothers make their daughters
play to get rid of them," said Latournelle.
"Then you approve of stratagems?" said Modeste.
"On both sides," cried Gobenheim, "and that brings it even."
This conversation was carried on by fits and starts, as they say, in
the intervals of cutting and dealing the cards; and it soon turned
chiefly on the merits of the Duc d'Herouville, who was thought very
good-looking by little Latournelle, little Dumay, and little Butscha.
Without the foregoing discussion on the lawfulness of matrimonial
tricks, the reader might possibly find the forthcoming account of the
evening so impatiently awaited by Butscha, somewhat too long.
Desplein, the famous surgeon, arrived the next morning, and stayed
only long enough to send to Havre for fresh horses and have them
put-to, which took about an hour. After examining Madame Mignon's eyes,
he decided that she could recover her sight, and fixed a suitable time,
a month later, to perform the operation. This important consultation
took place before the assembled members of the Chalet, who stood
trembling and expectant to hear the verdict of the prince of science.
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