"Then you are satisfied?"
"Perfectly!"
As Cornélie began to tell him of some details which she thought had escaped him, he put her off gently, saying—
"Was it so? Indeed! Well, you will tell me that to-morrow."
"What! You will not dine with us?"
"No; I must ask to be excused."
And as she pressed him to join them, he repeated—
"No, no; I must beg you to excuse me! Au revoir till to-morrow! Au revoir!"
With these words he went up to his room and locked himself in.
Every one was in low spirits at the Duplays' that evening. They scarcely tasted their supper. No one was deceived by Robespierre's feigned indisposition; they were well aware that the fête had been a great disappointment to him, and they shared his chagrin, though they determined that this should be in no way apparent.