"Oh! how can you imagine—" she began, in a coaxing way, but he interrupted her.
"I did not imagine, alas! I saw for myself; and I am not reproaching you, my dear little girl—young people of course prefer young people, it is quite natural!"
"Oh, no!" said Bijou, with evident sincerity; "not at all—I am not so fond as all that of young people generally; and, above all, I cannot endure young men about the age of M. de Bernès."
"Yes, I remember that you told me that once before; you said so the first time I saw you; it was here in this room, when we were waiting together for the arrival of your guests to dinner."
Denyse laughed.
"Well, what a memory you have!"
"Always, when it is a question of you." And then, in a voice which trembled slightly, he asked: "Do you remember something you said to me yesterday?"
"Yesterday?"
"Yes, yesterday, when I was holding you in my arms, and you were nestling against me like a little trembling bird!"
Bijou appeared to be trying to remember what it was. She opened her large eyes wide, and they looked just then like pale violets.