"Come, come, M. le marquis, you are not acting fairly with me. You have some scheme of your own."
"Nothing of the kind. I do not know Mlle. de Beaumesnil; I have no suitor to suggest for her. I am, consequently, an entirely disinterested looker-on, and, this being the case, my dear baroness, I do not exactly understand why you should have any objection to my watching the amusing proceedings."
"That is true," said Madame de la Rochaiguë, recovering her composure, "for, after all, in marrying Ernestine, what can we have in view, except her happiness?"
"Nothing, of course."
"Consequently, we have nothing to fear from your observation, as you call it, my dear marquis."
"Nothing, absolutely nothing."
"For, in case we should make a mistake—"
"Which may happen to any one, even one who has the best intentions in the world."
"Certainly, marquis. Well, in that event, you would not fail to come to our assistance, and warn us of our danger."
"That is what an observer is for," laughingly remarked M. de Maillefort, rising to take leave.