CHAPTER VI.
A MEDICAL ADVISER.
Doctor Hortebise did not find it necessary to resort to any of those expedients which Mascarin had found it advisable to use in order to reach Madame de Mussidan.

As soon as he presented himself--that is, after a brief interval of five minutes--he was introduced into the presence of the Countess.

He rather wondered at this, for Madame de Mussidan was one of those restless spirits that are seldom found at home, but are to be met with at exhibitions, on race-courses, at the _salons_, restaurants, shops, or theatres; or at the studio of some famous artist; or at the rooms of some musical professor who had discovered a new tenor; anywhere and everywhere, in fact, except at home.

Hers was one of those restless natures constantly craving for excitement; and husband, home, and child were mere secondary objects in her eyes.

She had many avocations; she was a patroness of half a dozen charitable institutions, but the chief thing that she did was to spend money.