"Madame la duchesse," said Maxime, drawing the pious lady into the
embrasure of a window, "for Heaven's sake keep the utmost secrecy as
to my efforts, and ask d'Ajuda to do the same; for if Calyste ever
hears of our plot there will be a duel between him and me to the
death. When I told you that the affair would not cost much, I meant
that you would not be obliged to spend enormous sums; but I do want
twenty thousand francs; the rest is my affair; there may be important
places to be given, a receiver-generalship possibly."

The duchess and Maxime left the room. When Madame de Grandlieu
returned to her daughter, she again listened to Sabine's dithyrambics
inlaid with family facts even more cruel than those which had already
crushed the young wife's happiness.

"Don't be so troubled, my darling," said the duchess. "Beatrix will
pay dear for your tears and sufferings; the hand of Satan is upon her;
she will meet with ten humiliations for every one she has inflicted
upon you."

Madame Schontz had invited Claude Vignon, who, on several occasions,
had expressed a wish to know Maxime de Trailles personally. She also
invited Couture, Fabien, Bixiou, Leon de Lora, La Palferine, and
Nathan. The latter was asked by Rochefide on account of Maxime.
Aurelie thus expected nine guests, all men of the first ability, with
the exception of du Ronceret; but the Norman vanity and the brutal
ambition of the Heir were fully on a par with Claude Vignon's literary
power, Nathan's poetic gift, La Palferine's /finesse/, Couture's
financial eye, Bixiou's wit, Finot's shrewdness, Maxime's profound
diplomacy, and Leon de Lora's genius.