“Uncle Quintin has left that matter to my own deciding,” Aline reminded her.

“That,” said madame with complete conviction, “is the last and most outrageous of his errors.  Who ever heard of a girl being left to decide the matter of her own marriage?  It is... indelicate almost to expose her to thoughts of such things.”  Mme. de Sautron shuddered.  “Quintin is a boor.  His conduct is unheard of.  That M. de La Tour d’Azyr should parade himself before you so that you may make up your mind whether he is the proper man for you!” Again she shuddered.  “It is of a grossness, of... of a prurience almost...  Mon Dieu!  When I married your uncle, all this was arranged between our parents.  I first saw him when he came to sign the contract.  I should have died of shame had it been otherwise.  And that is how these affairs should be conducted.”

“You are no doubt right, madame.  But since that is not how my own case is being conducted, you will forgive me if I deal with it apart from others.  M. de La Tour d’Azyr desires to marry me.  He has been permitted to pay his court.  I should be glad to have him informed that he may cease to do so.”

Mme. de Sautron stood still, petrified by amazement.  Her long face turned white; she seemed to breathe with difficulty.

“But... but... what are you saying?” she gasped.

Quietly Aline repeated her statement.

“But this is outrageous!  You cannot be permitted to play fast-and-loose with a gentleman of M. le Marquis’ quality!  Why, it is little more than a week since you permitted him to be informed that you would become his wife!”

“I did so in a moment of... rashness.  Since then M. le Marquis’ own conduct has convinced me of my error.”

“But — mon Dieu!” cried the Countess.  “Are you blind to the great honour that is being paid you?  M. le Marquis will make you the first lady in Brittany.  Yet, little fool that you are, and greater fool that Quintin is, you trifle with this extraordinary good fortune!  Let me warn you.”  She raised an admonitory forefinger.  “If you continue in this stupid humour M. de La Tour d’Azyr may definitely withdraw his offer and depart in justified mortification.”

“That, madame, as I am endeavouring to convey to you, is what I most desire.”

“Oh, you are mad.”

“It may be, madame, that I am sane in preferring to be guided by my instincts.  It may be even that I am justified in resenting that the man who aspires to become my husband should at the same time be paying such assiduous homage to a wretched theatre girl at the Feydau.”

“Aline!”

“Is it not true?  Or perhaps you do not find it strange that M. de La Tour d’Azyr should so conduct himself at such a time?”

“Aline, you are so extraordinary a mixture.  At moments you shock me by the indecency of your expressions; at others you amaze me by the excess of your prudery.  You have been brought up like a little bourgeoise, I think.  Yes, that is it — a little bourgeoise.  Quintin was always something of a shopkeeper at heart.”