It would henceforth remain just such as her mother-in-law had wished to preserve it during her lifetime.

Then returning to the subject of conversation: "I have been assured," she said, "that we shall also have the king of Prussia and the emperor of Russia." "Yes, some very fine fetes are promised," said Mme du Joncquoy.
The banker Steiner, not long since introduced into this circle by Leonide de Chezelles, who was acquainted with the whole of Parisian society, was sitting chatting on a sofa between two of the windows.
He was questioning a deputy, from whom he was endeavoring with much adroitness to elicit news about a movement on the stock exchange of which he had his suspicions, while the Count Muffat, standing in front of them, was silently listening to their talk, looking, as he did so, even grayer than was his wont.
Four or five young men formed another group near the door round the Count Xavier de Vandeuvres, who in a low tone was telling them an anecdote.

It was doubtless a very risky one, for they were choking with laughter.

Companionless in the center of the room, a stout man, a chief clerk at the Ministry of the Interior, sat heavily in an armchair, dozing with his eyes open.

But when one of the young men appeared to doubt the truth of the anecdote Vandeuvres raised his voice.
"You are too much of a skeptic, Foucarmont; you'll spoil all your pleasures that way." And he returned to the ladies with a laugh.