She said the simple fact was that the baron had contracted debts, and
the baroness, being the soul of honor, was living in great economy to
pay them off. Then, as to Dard getting no supper up at Beaurepaire, a
complaint that appeared to sting her particularly, she assured him she
was alone to blame: the baroness would be very angry if she knew it.
"But," said she, "Dard is an egotist. Perhaps you may have noticed that
trait in him."
"Glimpses of it," replied Riviere, laughing.
"Monsieur, he is so egotistic that he has not a friend in the world
but me. I forgive him, because I know the reason; he has never had a
headache or a heartache in his life."
Edouard, aged twenty, and a male, did not comprehend this piece of
feminine logic one bit: and, while he puzzled over it in silence,
Jacintha went on to say that if she were to fill her egotist's paunch,
she should never know whether he came to Beaurepaire for her, or
himself. "Now, Dard," she added, "is no beauty, monsieur; why, he is
three inches shorter than I am."
"You are joking! he looks a foot," said Edouard.
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