She figured at every fete, took part in
every kind of amusement, and many scandalous stories were told of her;
but she contrived to keep up appearances and was thus still received
everywhere.
"You are living in the country, are you not?" she asked again, turning
towards Mathieu.
"Yes, we have been there for three weeks past."
"Constance told me of it. I met her the other day at Madame Seguin's. We
are on the best terms possible, you know, now that I give my brother good
advice."
In point of fact her sister-in-law, Constance, hated her, but with her
usual boldness she treated the matter as a joke.
"We talked about Dr. Gaude," she resumed; "I fancied that she wanted to
ask for his address; but she did not dare."
"Dr. Gaude!" interrupted Morange. "Ah! yes, a friend of my wife's spoke
to her about him. He's a wonderfully clever man, it appears. Some of his
operations are like miracles."
Then he went on talking of Dr. Gaude's clinic at the Hopital Marbeuf, a
clinic whither society folks hastened to see operations performed, just
as they might go to a theatre. The doctor, who was fond of money, and who
bled his wealthy lady patients in more senses than one, was likewise
partial to glory and proud of accomplishing the most dangerous
experiments on the unhappy creatures who fell into his hands.
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