more or less that of a servant in presence of her former mistress, who,
indeed, would have laughed to see her established in the lodge with
all the airs and graces of a woman of the world.

The rancorous enmity which existed between the Reyberts and the
Moreaus came from a wound inflicted by Madame de Reybert upon Madame
Moreau on the first occasion when the latter assumed precedence over
the former on her first arrival at Presles, the wife of the steward
being determined not to allow her supremacy to be undermined by a
woman nee de Corroy. Madame de Reybert thereupon reminded, or,
perhaps, informed the whole country-side of Madame Moreau's former
station. The words "waiting-maid" flew from lip to lip. The envious
acquaintances of the Moreaus throughout the neighborhood from Beaumont
to Moisselles, began to carp and criticize with such eagerness that a
few sparks of the conflagration fell into the Moreau household. For
four years the Reyberts, cut dead by the handsome Estelle, found
themselves the objects of so much animadversion on the part of the
adherents of the Moreaus that their position at Presles would not have
been endurable without the thought of vengeance which had, so far,
supported them.

The Moreaus, who were very friendly with Grindot the architect, had
received notice from him of the early arrival of the two painters sent
down to finish the decorations of the chateau, the principal paintings
for which were just completed by Schinner. The great painter had
recommended for this work the artist who was accompanied by Mistigris.
For two days past Madame Moreau had been on the tiptoe of expectation,
and had put herself under arms to receive him. An artist, who was to
be her guest and companion for weeks, demanded some effort. Schinner
and his wife had their own apartment at the chateau, where, by the