I did hear that an ambassador was madly in love with her.

By the bye, another piece of news! Old Claparon is dead, and his son, who has become a banker, has ordered the cheapest kind of funeral for him.

That fellow has no education; they wouldn't behave like that in China." Philippe, prompted by mercenary motives, proposed to Mariette that she should marry him; but she, knowing herself on the eve of an engagement at the Grand Opera, refused the offer, either because she guessed the colonel's motive, or because she saw how important her independence would be to her future fortune.

For the remainder of this year, Philippe never came more than twice a month to see his mother.

Where was he?
Either at his office, or the theatre, or with Mariette.