It would have made my cousin so happy if you had been the Comte de Tournay and I had found you here." The old man's voice trembled a little.

"We are growing fewer every day, we Frenchmen of the ancient families.

And it would have made my cousin so happy, as I was saying, monsieur." Detricand's manner changed; he became serious.

The devil-may-care, irresponsible shamelessness of his face dropped away like a mask.
Something had touched him.

His voice changed too.
"De Tournay was a much better fellow than I am, chevalier," said he--"and that's no lie," he added under his breath.