modern elegance ; yet his 
countenance, his whole person, were destitute of grace, 
or that distinguS air which is more to be coveted than 
mere beauty, whether of face or figure ; his movements 
were stiff and constrained, and his hands and feet large 
and coarse. As he approached Madame d'Harville his 
insipid and insignificant countenance assumed, all at 
once, an expression of the deepest , too 
sudden to be genuine ; nevertheless he acted the part as 
closely to nature as might be. M. Robert had the air 
of a man so thoroughly wretched, so oppressed by a 
multitude of , that as he came up to Madame 
d'Harville she could not help recalling to mind the 
fearful mention made by Sarah touching the violence 
to which  such as his might drive him. 

17 



THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS. 

" How are you ? How are you, my dear sir ? " 
exclaimed the Duke de Lucenay, interrupting the 
further approach of the commandant. " I have not 
had the  of seeing you since we met at the 

spas of . But what the devil ails you,  are you 

ill?" 

Hereupon M. Charles Robert assumed a languid and 
sentimental air, and, casting a  look towards 
Madame d'Harville, replied, in a tone of deep  : 

" Indeed, my lord,