How did she behave to you ?" "Why--well enough," said Lucan--"a little peculiar, as usual." "Oh! peculiar of course!" He smiled rather sadly, took Monsieur de Lucan's arm, and leading him through the meandering paths of the garden: "_Voyons, mon cher_," he said in a suppressed voice, "between you and me, what is Julia ?" "How, my friend ?" "Yes, what sort of a woman is my wife?
If you know, do tell me, I beg of you." "Excuse me, but it is the very question I would like to ask of you myself." "Of me ?" said the count.

"But I have not the slightest idea.

She is a Sphinx, a riddle, the solution of which escapes me completely.

She both charms and frightens me.

She is peculiar, you said?
She is more than that; she is fantastic.