"Ma foi, that would appear to me not a bad speculation; and I am a speculator."
"But you would not want this poor Andurillo to be blunderbussed by Réginard?"
"Réginard? A lot he cares about that!"
"But aren't they engaged?"
"M. de Pérégrin and I have sometimes spoken of it; but Réginard and Mme. de Pérégrin... à propos, why did you not invite M. and Mme. de Pérégrin to the soirée?"
"I invited them, but Réginard pleaded a prior engagement in Le Havre-gris, for the doctors had recommended the sea air for the Countess."
The baron laughed. "Yes, it must do her good; she breathed of it in her youth."
The Count let the epigram pass without appearing to pay attention. "You must admit that Réginard bears a fine name."
"Oh, mine is just as good."
"But you are far too intelligent to deny that, according to prejudices that are unfortunately too widespread to extirpate, a nobility that goes back to the Downfall of Numéneur is worth more than those that go back to the tobacco trade of Saroumand."
