Isabelle sat in the same place she had occupied on the
eventful night that had changed the destiny of the young lord of the
chateau, and she could not but think of, and live over, that widely
different occasion, as did also the baron, and the married lovers
exchanged furtive smiles and glances, in which tender memories and
bright hopes were happily mingled.
Near one of the tall buffets stood a large, fine-looking man with a
thick black beard, dressed in black velvet, and wearing a massive chain
of silver round his neck, who kept a watchful eye upon the numerous
lackeys waiting on the guests, and from time to time gave an order, with
a most majestic air. Presiding over another buffet, on which were neatly
arranged numerous wine-bottles of different forms and dimensions, was
another elderly man, of short, corpulent figure, and with a jolly
red face, who stepped about actively and lightly, despite his age and
weight, dispensing the wine to the servants as it was needed. At
first de Sigognac did not notice them, but chancing to glance in their
direction, was astonished to recognise in the first the tragic Herode,
and in the second the grotesque Blazius. Isabelle, seeing that her
husband had become aware of their presence, whispered to him, that
in order to provide for the old age of those two devoted and faithful
friends she had thought it well to give them superior positions in their
household; in which they would have only easy duties to perform, as they
had to direct others in their work, not to do any themselves; and the
baron heartily approved and commended what his sweet young wife, ever
considerate for others, had been pleased to do.
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