The Argennes, like the Rambouillets, only dated from the
time of the League, when they had in private confirmed the sentence
of death on the Duke of Guise, which had been carried out by his
assassination. Strange to look at the beautiful and gentle Julie,
and know her to be sprung from such a stem!
Then my mother censured Eustace for bad taste in talking over his
case with his lawyer in public. He laughed, and assured her that he
had never even thought of his suit, but had been discussing one of
the pictures on the walls, a fine Veronese--appealing to me if it
were not so; but she was not satisfied; she said he should not have
encouraged the presumption of that little advocate by presenting him
to his sisters.
Eustace never attempted argument with her, but went his own way; and
when Annora broke out with something about Mr. Hyde and other
lawyers, such as Harry Merrycourt, being company for any one in
London, she was instantly silenced or presuming to argue with her
elders.
I had a happy morning with Mesdames de Rambouillet and De Montausier,
who showed the perfect union of mother and daughter.
In the little cabinet where Madame de Rambouillet read and studied so
much in order to be able to fill her eminent position, she drew out
from me all my story and all my perplexities, giving me advice as a
wise woman of my own church alone could do, and showing me how much I
might still do in my life at Paris.
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