Lea de Horn, who had a political salon where former ministers of Louis Philippe were wont to indulge in delicate epigrams, shrugged her shoulders and continued the conversation in a low tone: "What a mistake this war is! What a bloodthirsty piece of stupidity!" At this Lucy forthwith took up the cudgels for the empire.

She had been the mistress of a prince of the imperial house, and its defense became a point of family honor with her.
"Do leave them alone, my dear.

We couldn't let ourselves be further insulted! Why, this war concerns the honor of France.

Oh, you know I don't say that because of the prince.

He WAS just mean! Just imagine, at night when he was going to bed he hid his gold in his boots, and when we played at bezique he used beans, because one day I pounced down on the stakes for fun.