across deny her changing bastard
 

million cost Madame de
Stael four hundred thousand francs, besides a set of jewelry that was
worth at least one hundred thousand."

The countess's purse and the jewelry case, however, doubtlessly bore
evidence that she might as well have said "I know" as "I believe."

Besides the four hundred thousand francs and the jewelry, Madame de
Stael also gave the countess a piece of advice. "Make the most of the
favor you now enjoy," said she to her; "but do so quickly, for, as
matters are now conducted, I fear that the restoration will soon have to
be restored."

"What do you mean by that?" asked the countess, smiling.

"I mean that, with the exception of the king, who perhaps does not say
all he thinks, the others are still doing precisely as they always have
done, and Heaven knows to what extremities their folly is destined to
bring them! They mock at the old soldiers and assist the young priests,
and this is the best means of ruining France."

Countess Ducayla considered this prediction of her intellectual friend
as a mere cloud with which discontent and disappointed ambition had
obscured the otherwise clear vision of Madame de Stael, and ridiculed
the idea, little dreaming how soon her words were to be fulfilled.

Madame de Stael consoled herself for her cold reception at court, by
receiving the best society of Paris in her parlors, and entertaining
them with biting _bon mots_ and witty _persiflage_, at the expense of
the grand notabilities, who had suddenly arisen with their imposing
genealogical trees out of the ruins and oblivion of the past.

Madame de Stael now also remembered the kindness Queen Hortense had
shown her during her exile; and not to her only, but also to her friend,
Madame Recamier, who had also been exiled by Napoleon, not, however, as
his enemies said, "because she was Madame de Stael's friend,