"
"Well," said Newman, "if the old man turns out a humbug, you may do what
you please. I wash my hands of the matter. For the girl herself, you
may be at rest. I don't know what harm she may do to me, but I certainly
can't hurt her. It seems to me," said Newman, "that you are very well
matched. You are both hard cases, and M. Nioche and I, I believe, are
the only virtuous men to be found in Paris."
Soon after this M. de Bellegarde, in punishment for his levity, received
a stern poke in the back from a pointed instrument. Turning quickly
round he found the weapon to be a parasol wielded by a lady in green
gauze bonnet. Valentin's English cousins had been drifting about
unpiloted, and evidently deemed that they had a grievance. Newman left
him to their mercies, but with a boundless faith in his power to plead
his cause.
CHAPTER XII
Three days after his introduction to the family of Madame de Cintre,
Newman, coming in toward evening, found upon his table the card of the
Marquis de Bellegarde. On the following day he received a note informing
him that the Marquise de Bellegarde would be grateful for the honor of
his company at dinner.
He went, of course, though he had to break another engagement to do it.
He was ushered into the room in which Madame de Bellegarde had received
him before, and here he found his venerable hostess, surrounded by her
entire family.
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