"'Do you propose to give me alms?'
"'No, but to do you a very small favor, which costs me little. That's enough, leave me.'
"'And suppose I don't choose to accept it?'
"'You will make a mistake.'
"'And you don't want me to thank you?'
"'It's useless.'
"Thereupon he fairly turned his back on me and went away for good and all; but I followed him, and, knowing that long-winded compliments were not to his taste, I said like this: 'Monsieur de Boisguilbault, shake hands, if you please!'"
"What! you dared to say that to him?" cried Janille.
"Well, why shouldn't I dare? what more straightforward thing can you say to a man?"
"And what answer did he make? what did he do?" queried Gilberte.