He did not guess her meaning, but nevertheless replied, by way of a joke:
“Certainly; I once saved a Newfoundland dog from drowning.”
The ladies thought this extremely funny, and even Madame Deberle seemed disarmed.
“Well, I’ll allow you to save Newfoundlands,” she answered, “but you know very well I did not bathe once at Trouville.”
“Oh! you’re speaking of the lesson I gave you!” he exclaimed. “Didn’t I tell you one night in your dining-room how to move your feet and hands about?”
All the ladies were convulsed with mirth—he was delightful! Juliette shrugged her shoulders; it was impossible to engage him in a serious talk. Then she rose to meet a lady whose first visit this was to her house, and who was a superb pianist. Hélène, seated near the fire, her lovely face unruffled by any emotion, looked on and listened. Malignon, especially, seemed to interest her. She saw him execute a strategical movement which brought him to Madame Deberle’s side, and she could hear the conversation that ensued behind her chair. Of a sudden there was a change in the tones, and she leaned back to gather the drift of what was being said.
“Why didn’t you come yesterday?” asked Malignon. “I waited for you till six o’clock.”
“Nonsense; you are mad,” murmured Juliette.
Thereupon Malignon loudly lisped: “Oh! you don’t believe the story about my Newfoundland! Yet I received a medal for it, and I’ll show it to you.”
Then he added, in a whisper: “You gave me your promise—remember.”