The next ten days were the happiest that Newman had ever known.

He saw Madame de Cintre every day, and never saw either old Madame de Bellegarde or the elder of his prospective brothers-in-law.

Madame de Cintre at last seemed to think it becoming to apologize for their never being present.

"They are much taken up," she said, "with doing the honors of Paris to Lord Deepmere." There was a smile in her gravity as she made this declaration, and it deepened as she added, "He is our seventh cousin, you know, and blood is thicker than water.

And then, he is so interesting!" And with this she laughed.
Newman met young Madame de Bellegarde two or three times, always roaming about with graceful vagueness, as if in search of an unattainable ideal of amusement.