Chapter 27 - Page 2

selection according to their settings or their colors. On this
occasion, however, she admired the size of the rubies and the brilliancy
of the diamonds; she grieved over every blemish and every defect; she
thought the gold light, and the stones wretched. The goldsmith, as he
entered, found her thus occupied. "M. Faucheux," she said, "I believe
you supplied me with my gold service?"

"I did, your ladyship."

"I do not now remember the amount of the account."

"Of the new service, madame, or of that which M. de Belliere presented to
you on your marriage? for I have furnished both."

"First of all, the new one."

"The covers, the goblets, and the dishes, with their covers, the _eau-
epergne_, the ice-pails, the dishes for the preserves, and the tea and
coffee urns, cost your ladyship sixty thousand francs."

"No more?"

"Your ladyship thought the account very high."

"Yes, yes; I remember, in fact, that it was dear; but it was the
workmanship, I suppose?"

"Yes, madame; the designs, the chasings - all new patterns."

"What proportion of the cost does the workmanship form? Do not hesitate
to tell me."

"A third of its value, madame."

"There is the other service, the old one, that which belonged to my
husband?"

"Yes, madame; there is less workmanship in that than in the other. Its
intrinsic value does not exceed thirty thousand francs."

"Thirty thousand," murmured the marquise. "But, M. Faucheux, there is
also the service which belonged to my mother; all that massive plate
which I did not wish to part with, on account of the associations
connected with it."

"Ah! madame, that would indeed be an excellent resource for those who,
unlike your ladyship, might not be in position to keep their plate. In
chasing that they worked in solid metal. But that service is no longer
in fashion. Its weight is its only advantage."

"That is all I care about. How much does it weigh?"

"Fifty thousand livres at the very least. I do not allude to the
enormous vases for the buffet, which alone weigh five thousand livres, or
ten thousand the pair."

"One hundred and thirty," murmured the marquise. "You are quite sure of
your figures, M. Faucheux?"

"The amount is entered in my books. Your ladyship is extremely
methodical, I am aware."

"Let us now turn to another subject," said Madame de Belliere; and she
opened one of her jewel-boxes.

"I recognize these emeralds," said M. Faucheux; "for it was I who had the
setting of them. They are the most beautiful in the whole court. No, I
am mistaken; Madame de Chatillon has the most beautiful set; she had them
from Messieurs de Guise; but your set, madame, comes next."