"
"Only a preface?"
"Yes; but don't be discouraged. I have arrived at the object of
my visit now."
As Baron Trigault was supposed to enjoy an income of at least
eight hundred thousand francs a year, he received in the course of
a twelvemonth at least a million applications for money or help,
and for this reason he had not an equal for detecting a coming
appeal. "Good heavens!" he thought, "Valorsay is going to ask me
for money." In fact, he felt certain that the marquis's pretended
carelessness concealed real embarrassment, and that it was
difficult for him to find the words he wanted.
"So I am about to marry," M. de Valorsay resumed--"I wish to break
off my former life, to turn over a new leaf. And now the wedding
gifts, the two fetes that I propose giving, the repairs at
Valorsay, and the honeymoon with my wife--all these things will
cost a nice little sum."
"A nice little sum, indeed!"
"Ah, well! as I'm not going to wed an heiress, I fear I shall run
a trifle short. The matter was worrying me a little, when I
thought of you. I said to myself: 'The baron, who always has
money at his disposal, will no doubt let me have the use of five
thousand louis for a year.'"
The baron's eyes were fixed upon his companion's face. "Zounds!"
he exclaimed in a half-grieved, half-petulant tone; "I haven't the
amount!"
It was not disappointment that showed itself on the marquis's
face; it was absolute despair, quickly concealed.
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