M. de Clagny rose to take his leave.
"Farewell!" he said, "until to-morrow." And then, with a pathetic little smile, he added: "Or until this evening. Yes,—towards the end of the day I shall be taken with a violent desire to see her again, and I shall come as I did the day before yesterday, and Thursday, and every day."
He took Madame de Bracieux's hand in his, and clasped it nervously, as he murmured:
"For the sake of our long friendship, I beg you, be merciful to me."
During luncheon the marchioness seemed preoccupied, and several times M. de Jonzac asked her what she was thinking about.
"Whatever is it?" he said; "you have certainly got the blues."
"Aunt must have gone to bed very late," said Jean de Blaye. "I heard you all come in; it must have been two o'clock." And then, turning to Bijou, he asked: "And how did you enjoy yourself? was it nice?"
"Delightful," she answered, in an absent sort of way.
"That little Lisette Renaud is perfectly charming," said M. de Rueille, "with her beautiful, large sad eyes. You liked her, too, did you not, grandmamma?"