Cousin Bette

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 Excerpt: ...of the eighteenth century. No salon is now complete without him. "Dear, this is my cousin, Comte Steinbock," said Lisbeth, presenting Wenceslas, whom Valerie had pretended not to see. "I remember Monsieur le comte," said Valerie, with a gracious inclination of her head. "I saw you frequently in the rue du Doyenne, and I had the pleasure of being present at your marriage. My dear," she added, turning to Lisbeth, "it would be difficult to forget your ex-son, even if I had seen him but once. Monsieur Stidmann is very good," she continued, bowing to the sculptor, "to accept my invitation at such short notice; but necessity has no law. I knew you were intimate with these gentlemen. There is nothing so dull and awkward as a dinner where the guests do not know each other, and I ventured to invite you for their sakes. But you will come again for mine,--will you not? Say yes!" She walked about the room for a time with Stidmann, seeming quite absorbed in him. The footman announced successively Monsieur Crevel, Baron Hulot, and a deputy named Beauvisage. This personage, a provincial Crevel, one of those beings who are sent into the world merely to swell its numbers, voted under the banner of Giraud, councillor of state, and Victorin Hulot. These two politicians were trying to form a nucleus of progressists in the great phalanx of conservatives. Giraud dined sometimes with Madame Marneffe, who flattered herself she might also in time get Victorin Hulot; but the puritan lawyer had so far found various pretexts to decline his father.in-law's invitations. To dine with the woman who was the cause of his mother's tears seemed to him criminal. Victorin Hulot was to the puritanical politicians of the day what a pious woman is ...