What, Bellegarde, are you already taking monsieur away ?" "I have a duty to perform, dear friend," said the marquis, pointing to the other groups.
"Ah, for you I know what that means.

Well, I have seen monsieur; that is what I wanted.

He can't persuade me that he isn't very clever.
Farewell." As Newman passed on with his host, he asked who the duchess was.

"The greatest lady in France," said the marquis.

M.de Bellegarde then presented his prospective brother-in-law to some twenty other persons of both sexes, selected apparently for their typically august character.
In some cases this character was written in good round hand upon the countenance of the wearer; in others Newman was thankful for such help as his companion's impressively brief intimation contributed to the discovery of it.