Adelaide looked at him with half-wrathful eyes, and Madame de
Rouville, somewhat astonished, was considering her reply, when
the scene was interrupted by a ring at the bell. The old
vice-admiral came in, followed by his shadow, and Madame Schinner.
Having guessed the cause of the grief her son vainly endeavored
to conceal, Hippolyte's mother had made inquiries among her
friends concerning Adelaide. Very justly alarmed by the calumnies
which weighed on the young girl, unknown to the Comte de
Kergarouet, whose name she learned from the porter's wife, she
went to report them to the vice-admiral; and he, in his rage,
declared "he would crop all the scoundrels' ears for them."
Then, prompted by his wrath, he went on to explain to Madame
Schinner the secret of his losing intentionally at cards, because
the Baronne's pride left him none but these ingenious means of
assisting her.
When Madame Schinner had paid her respects to Madame de Rouville,
the Baroness looked at the Comte de Kergarouet, at the Chevalier
du Halga--the friend of the departed Comtesse de Kergarouet--at
Hippolyte, and Adelaide, and said, with the grace that comes from
the heart, "So we are a family party this evening."
PARIS, May 1832
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.
Bixiou, Jean-Jacques
A Bachelor's Establishment
The Government Clerks
Modeste Mignon
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Firm of Nucingen
The Muse of the Department
Cousin Betty
The Member for Arcis
Beatrix
A Man of Business
Gaudissart II.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56