It at once occurred to the old woman that he had become much more polite.

His "Monsieur" and "Madame" rolled forth in delightfully musical fashion.

But the other habitues were now arriving one after the other; and the drawing-room was fast getting full.

Nobody yet knew the full particulars of the events of the night, and all had come in haste, with wondering eyes and smiling lips, urged on by the rumours which were beginning to circulate through the town.

These gentlemen who, on the previous evening, had left the drawing-room with such precipitation at the news of the insurgents' approach, came back, inquisitive and importunate, like a swarm of buzzing flies which a puff of wind would have dispersed.