The chevalier, who little expected such an apt remark from his Dulcinea, was so amazed that he could at first find no words to express his admiration; he applauded noiselessly, as they do at the Opera, tapping his fingers together to imitate applause.
"She is adorably witty," he said to Madame Granson.

"I always said that some day she would unmask her batteries." "In private she is always charming," replied the widow.
"In private, madame, all women have wit," returned the chevalier.
The Homeric laugh thus raised having subsided, Mademoiselle Cormon asked the reason of her success.

Then began the _forte_ of the gossip.

Du Bousquier was depicted as a species of celibate Pere Gigogne, a monster, who for the last fifteen years had kept the Foundling Hospital supplied.
His immoral habits were at last revealed! these Parisian saturnalias were the result of them, etc., etc.

Conducted by the Chevalier de Valois, a most able leader of an orchestra of this kind, the opening of the _cancan_ was magnificent.
"I really don't know," he said, "what should hinder a du Bousquier from marrying a Mademoiselle Suzanne What's-her-name.