"Ah, good morning, dear Hortense!" said Mademoiselle d'Herouville,
kissing the duchess with the sympathy that united their haughty
natures; "let me present to you and to the dear duke our little angel,
Mademoiselle de La Bastie."
"We have heard so much of you, mademoiselle," said the duchess, "that
we were in haste to receive you."
"And regret the time lost," added the Duc de Verneuil, with courteous
admiration.
"Monsieur le Comte de La Bastie," said the grand equerry, taking the
colonel by the arm and presenting him to the duke and duchess, with an
air of respect in his tone and gesture.
"I am glad to welcome you, Monsieur le comte!" said Monsieur de
Verneuil. "You possess more than one treasure," he added, looking at
Modeste.
The duchess took Modeste under her arm and led her into an immense
salon, where a dozen or more women were grouped about the fireplace.
The men of the party remained with the duke on the terrace, except
Canalis, who respectfully made his way to the superb Eleonore. The
Duchesse de Chaulieu, seated at an embroidery-frame, was showing
Mademoiselle de Verneuil how to shade a flower.
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