Moreover, his knowledge of the countess led him to fear that she would soon tire of his society.

This lady had a lamentable facility for getting to the bottom of her friends' powers of entertainment within a few days.

It was De Chauxville's intention to make secure his invitation to Thors, and then to absent himself from the countess.
At dinner he made himself vastly agreeable, recounting many anecdotes fresh from Paris, which duly amused the Countess Lanovitch, and somewhat shocked Catrina, who was not advanced or inclined to advance.
After dinner the guest asked Mlle.

Catrina to play.

He opened the grand piano in the inner drawing-room with such gallantry and effusion that the sanguine countess, post-prandially somnolescent in her luxurious chair, began rehearsing different modes of mentioning her son-in-law, the baron.
"Yes," she muttered to herself, "and Catrina is plain--terribly plain." Thereupon she fell asleep.
De Chauxville had a good memory, and was, moreover, a good and capable liar.