"To pride, perhaps," said Dixmer, quickly.
"To pride!"
"Yes; he did us honor, in his opinion at least, this good burgess of Paris, this demi-aristocrat of the gown,—concealing his susceptibilities under his patriotism; he conferred honor upon us, this Republican so powerful in his section, in his club, in his municipality, by according his friendship to a manufacturer of hides. Perhaps we have made too few advances; perhaps we have forgotten ourselves."
"If we had even been guilty in this respect, I think your last step would have redeemed all that," replied Geneviève.
"Yes; supposing the offence came from me; but if, on the contrary, it proceeded from you?"
"From me! Do you imagine that I have in any way offended Monsieur Maurice?" said Geneviève, astonished.
"Who knows, with a person like him! Did you not yourself at first accuse him of caprice? I therefore return to my first opinion, Geneviève; you did very wrong not to write to him."
"I!" cried Geneviève; "do you think so?"
"Not only do I think so now, but have done so ever since this rupture of the last three weeks."