“Seeing that everybody is going out of town and the place will be a desert in a week, I’m certainly not wanted here just now.”

“And seeing that the duke is gone to Algeria, we certainly are wanted there,” said Gustave.

“And a man should go where he is wanted,” said I.

“And a man is wanted,” said Gustave, “where a lady bids him come.”

“It would,” I cried, “be impolite not to go.”

“It would be dastardly. Besides, think how you will enjoy the memory of it!”

“The memory?” I repeated, pausing in my eager walk up and down.

“It will be a sweet memory,” he said.

“Ah!”

“Because, my friend, it is prodigiously unwise—for you.”