At this moment, a messenger arrived to tell Villefaramir that the Count of Monte Fato awaited them in the salon. Alas, when they entered the salon, they spent much of their time discussing the obstinacy of Dénéthoirtier; Villefaramir was determined that the wedding must continue, will or no will. The Count pretended not to hear, and seemed fascinated with Thibaut's project to improve the salon's floor by pouring ink all over it; though in truth he listened with complaisance to the discordant voices of wounded amour-propre and murdered self-interest. Finally, he permitted himself to remark innocently that Arafrantz was a delightful man and that M. de Villefaramir's desire to end the hostility between the two families was sublime.
"However," he continued, "even if M. de Dénéthoirtier disinherit Valartine for the fault of marrying a man whose father he detests, Thibaut is surely innocent of any such wrong."
"Is that not true, monsieur?" cried Mme. de Villefaramir indignantly. "Is it not odiously unjust? Even disinherited, Valartine has three times as much wealth as he, who must subsist on altogether inferior cat-food." Thibaut emphasised her point by destroying the curtains; the Count, having struck a blow, said nothing.
"Monsieur le comte, let us cease to discuss these misères de famille," said the steuard. "Yes, my wealth will go to the poor chipmonks, who are today the true rich; yes, my legitimate hope has been frustrated by my father without reason; yes, always after a defeat and a respite the Jacobin shadow grows again; but I will have acted as a sensible man."
