The Dubuissons and M. Spiegel had promised to come at four o'clock. One of the scenes which did not go very well had to be rehearsed. Bijou, who was busy gathering flowers, went towards the cab when they arrived, and was surprised to see only Jeanne and her father.
"What have you done with M. Spiegel?" she asked.
It was M. Dubuisson who answered, in a confused sort of way:
"He is coming—with your cousin M. de Rueille, who was at Pont-sur-Loire and who offered to bring him."
"Don't disturb your grandmamma," said Jeanne, taking Bijou's arm. "Papa won't come in yet, he has his lecture to prepare, and he will go and do it, walking about in the park." And then, as soon as M. Dubuisson had moved off, she began again: "If M. Spiegel and I had not had parts in the play, and so had not been afraid of spoiling it for you by not appearing, we should not have come."
"You would not have come?" exclaimed Bijou, in astonishment; "and why not, pray?"
"Because we are now in the most false and ridiculous position."
"You?"
"Yes, we are—our engagement is broken off."
"Broken off!" repeated Bijou, in consternation; "broken off! but what for?"