“You fear to be dismissed? Really, I beg pardon of your eminence, but you become unintelligible.”
“It is, however, quite clear, what I say. The other day, when I came to see you, you complained that you were lodged unsuitably to your rank. I thought, therefore, that to restore you to your proper place would be like restoring air to the bird whom the experimenter has placed under his air-pump. Consequently, beautiful countess, that you might receive me with pleasure, and that I, on my part, might visit you without compromising either you or myself——” He stopped and looked at her.
“Well!” she said.
“I hoped that you would deign to accept this small residence; you observe, I do not call it ‘petite maison.’”
“Accept! you give me this house, monseigneur?” said Jeanne, her heart beating with eagerness.
“A very small gift, countess; but if I had offered you more, you would have refused.”
“Oh, monseigneur, it is impossible for me to accept this.”
“Impossible, why? Do not say that word to me, for I do not believe in it. The house belongs to you, the keys are here on this silver plate; do you find out another humiliation in this?”
“No, but——”
“Then accept.”