"In my place."
"I would speak to the girl as a friend. She has great confidence in you. Well, I would say to her simply in a few words what these hangers-on of society are. You know very well how to say these things. You possess an eloquent tongue. And I would make her understand, first, why he is attached to the Spaniard; secondly, why he attempted to lay siege to Professor Cloche's daughter; thirdly, why, not having succeeded in this effort, he is striving, in the last place, to make a conquest of Mademoiselle Charlotte Oriol."
"Why do you not do that, yourself, who will be her brother-in-law?"
"Because—because—on account of what passed between us—come! I can't."
"That's quite right. I am going to speak to her."
"Do you want me to procure for you a private conversation with her immediately?"
"Why, yes, assuredly."
"Good! Walk about for ten minutes. I am going to carry off Louise and Mazelli, and, when you come back, you will find the other alone."
Paul Bretigny rambled along the side of the Enval gorges, thinking over the best way of opening this difficult conversation.
He found Charlotte Oriol alone, indeed, on his return, in the cold, whitewashed parlor of the paternal abode; and he said to her, as he sat down beside her: "It is I, Mademoiselle, who asked Gontran to procure me this interview with you."