And on this special evening the stitches were both few and crooked. Riette paid no attention to her work, but sat staring and smiling at Angelot across the room, and he, instead of talking to his father and uncle, watched her keenly under his eyelids. Presently he came and stood near his mother's chair while she asked Riette a few questions about her lessons that day. It appeared that all had been satisfactory.
"A good little woman, Mademoiselle Moineau," said Riette, softly, smiling at Angelot, who felt the colour mounting to his hair. "I like her very much. She pretends to scold, but there is no malice in it, you know. I don't think she is very clever. Quite clever enough for Sophie and Lucie, who are most amiable, poor dear children, but stupid—ah!"
"They are older than you, I believe, Henriette," said her aunt, reprovingly.
"Yes, dear aunt, in years, but not in experience. I have lived, I know life"—she nodded gently—"while those poor girls—Ah, how charming! May I have a little dance with Ange, Aunt Anne?"
"I suppose so. Lise will not have her cap yet, it seems," said Madame de la Marinière, smiling in spite of herself.
Monsieur Joseph had sat down to the piano and was playing a lively polka. Angelot started up, seized his little cousin, and whirled her off down the room. In a minute or two Urbain took off his spectacles, shut the Théâtre d'Agriculture with a sharp clap, walked up to Anne and held out his hands with a smiling bow.
"I can't resist Joseph's music, if you can, my little lady!"
"It seems we must follow the children," she said. "Riette has just been pointing out that she, at least, is wiser than her elders."
Angelot and his father jumped their light partners up and down with all the merry energy of France and a new world. After a few turns, Angelot waltzed Riette out into the hall, and they stood still for a few moments under the porch, while she whispered Hélène's message into his ear.
"Mon Dieu! But how can she meet me? It must be at night, or they will see us. And if she is locked into her room?"