Bijou had not understood, however, nor even heard, for she asked:
"What did you say?"
"I said that he will be very happy."
"Who will be happy?"
"The man you love!"
"I hope so. I shall do all I can for that!"
M. de Rueille seemed to be annoyed and irritated. He said, in a disagreeable way, as though he wanted to discourage Denyse in her dreams of the future:
"Yes, but supposing you do not happen to meet with him?"
"Well, then, I shall die an old maid, that's all! But I do not see why I should not meet with him. I do not ask for anything impossible, after all!"
In a mocking tone, and a trifle aggressive, he, asked: