"Frankly, yes, for the moment! I am really overjoyed to think that you can walk in yonder garden at any time. I shall not be there to give you my arm, for naturally, I shall not be allowed to do that; but I shall see you go out and come back with more color and a little appetite, I hope!"
"Appetite! you are the one who has no appetite! You have eaten almost nothing to-day, and yet you said that you were hungry. Where are you going, pray?"
"To take Madame d'Estrelle's parasol to the porter at the hôtel. It would not be polite to neglect it."
"You are right, but Babet will take it. It is quite useless to show yourself to the people there. It might cause talk."
Madame Thierry took the parasol and placed it in her servant's hands herself.
"Not that way!" cried Julien, taking it from her. "Babet will spot the silk with her hot hands."
He carefully wrapped the parasol in white paper, and handed it to Babet, not without regret, but without hesitation. He saw clearly enough the anxiety of his mother, who was watching him closely.
Babet remained away ten minutes; that was more time than she needed to walk the length of the garden on the street, enter the courtyard and return. She reappeared at last with the parasol and a note from the countess.
"Madame,
"You need a parasol as you will be exposed to the sunshine. Be kind enough to use mine; I desire to deprive you of every pretext for not coming to call upon
"Your servant,
"JULIE D'ESTRELLE."
Madame Thierry glanced again at Julien, who controlled himself perfectly as he removed the paper in which he had wrapped the parasol. As soon as her back was turned, he covered it with kisses, like the romantic, excitable child he was, despite his claim to be a mature man. As for the poor mother, in her distrust and uncertainty she said to herself that every joy is attended by danger in this world, and that she might perhaps have reason to regret the amiable overtures of her too fascinating neighbor.