"Really, mademoiselle——"
"It was! You did! You know you did! And you know how I hate it! Don't you dare to offer me money, because I love——" Mlle. Fouchette choked here a little,—"because I love to help you, Monsieur Jean!"
"But I was not thinking of offering you money for your kindness, mon enfant." Jean took this play for safety as genuine wrath.
"You were going to; you know you were!" she retorted, defiantly.
"Well, I suppose I may offer to repay the louis I borrowed the other day?"
"Oh, yes! I'll make you pay your debts, monsieur,—never fear that!"
She began to recover her equilibrium, and smiled confidently in his face. But he was now serious.
"There are some debts one can never pay," said he.
"Never! never! never!" she exclaimed. "Monsieur, whatever I might do, I owe you still! It will always be so!"