"The Rhine and Posen!" "The Rhine belongs to France, and the Posen to Poland, much more legitimately than this money to me.

But so it is with great lords: they make it a duty to pay little debts, and a point of honor to ignore big ones!" The Prince winced a little, and all the faces of the court gave a sympathetic twitch.

It was discovered that M.Fougas had evinced bad taste in letting a crumb of truth fall into a big plateful of follies.
But a pretty little Viennese baroness, who was at the presentation, was much more charmed with his appearance than scandalized at his remarks.
The ladies of Vienna have made for themselves a reputation for hospitality which they always attempt to support, even when they are away from their native land.
The baroness of Marcomarcus had still another reason for getting hold of the Colonel: for two or three years she had, as a matter of course, been making a photographic collection of celebrated men.

Her album was peopled with generals, statesmen, philosophers, and pianists, who had given their portraits to her, after writing on the back: "With respects of----" There were to be found there several Roman prelates, and even a celebrated cardinal; but a more direct envoy from the other world was still wanting.

She wrote Fougas, then, a note full of impatience and curiosity, inviting him to supper.