The marchioness turned towards Bertrade.
"What do you say about going with them to look after the girls?"
Madame de Rueille glanced at her husband, who appeared to be studying the floor attentively at that moment.
"Oh, Paul will look after them very well!"
"I must ask if you would mind not starting before three o'clock?" said Bijou, advancing towards the window, "because there is M. Sylvestre coming to give me my accompaniment lesson; he is just coming up the avenue."
"The poor fellow!" exclaimed the marchioness, glancing out of the window, "he is actually walking in spite of this terrible heat!"
"He always walks, grandmamma."
"Five miles; that is not so tremendous," remarked Henry de Bracieux.
"No, not for you—driving!" said Bijou.
"Well, but when we are out shooting, we do a lot more than that!"