He wore an insolent and chaffing air as he said: "Well, what? Did you
not admit to me the other evening that Forestier was a cuckold?" And he
added: "Poor devil!" in a tone of pity.
Madeleine turned her back on him, disdaining to answer; and then, after
a moment's silence, resumed: "We shall have visitors on Tuesday. Madame
Laroche-Mathieu is coming to dinner with the Viscountess de Percemur.
Will you invite Rival and Norbert de Varenne? I will call to-morrow and
ask Madame Walter and Madame de Marelle. Perhaps we shall have Madame
Rissolin, too."
For some time past she had been strengthening her connections, making
use of her husband's political influence to attract to her house,
willy-nilly, the wives of the senators and deputies who had need of the
support of the _Vie Francaise_.