"She is delightful, this child," said Françoise, as she shook her warmly by the hand. "And how pretty she is!" Then, turning to her husband with an adorable pout:
"I don't know what you did to make them so grateful to you, but you know how to choose the people to whom to do good turns, my dear Didier."
When they left the shop Françoise, who was agog with the greatest curiosity, asked him what it all meant.
"Be quick, tell me. You know that I am jealous, you brigand."
D'Haumont was much amused by her impatience. He assumed an air of detachment.
"My dear, it's a secret which belongs to that young girl," he said. "I really don't know if I can——"
"Oh, you're making game of me! That's not the old Didier. Think of the confidence that I have in you. We go into a shop and the first mannequin that we see throws herself into your arms and I don't scratch her eyes out."
"That would have been a pity, for they are very nice eyes," said Didier.
"Yes, she has extremely nice blue eyes and an expression of gentle sadness which haunts one, it's true. Oh, you're an excellent judge. I congratulate you! All the same, you must admit that I am a good sort. Do I know what you did before our marriage?"
"Françoise!" rapped out Didier in a muffled voice. The word was uttered in such a tone of reproach that Françoise stopped teasing him. She saw that he was very pale and painfully upset.