At last, when the hour had struck:
"Ah! well, andiamo, caro mio!" And she gave a final touch to her head-bands, and left directions for Delphine.
"Is Madame coming home to dinner?"
"Why should we, indeed? We shall dine together somewhere—at the Café Anglais, wherever you wish."
"Be it so!"
Her little dogs began yelping around her.
"We can bring them with us, can't we?"
Frederick carried them himself to the vehicle. It was a hired berlin with two post-horses and a postilion. He had put his man-servant in the back seat. The Maréchale appeared satisfied with his attentions. Then, as soon as she had seated herself, she asked him whether he had been lately at the Arnouxs'.
"Not for the past month," said Frederick.
"As for me, I met him the day before yesterday. He would have even come to-day, but he has all sorts of troubles—another lawsuit—I don't know what. What a queer man!"