"Jean," said Bijou, in a pleading tone, "don't leave us in the lurch, please."
She was going across to him, her pretty head bent forward, and a most comically beseeching little pout on her lips, when M. de Rueille rose abruptly from his seat, and stopped her on the way:
"Oh, he will do your couplets right enough; he likes doing them; sit down, Bijou."
The young girl stood still in the middle of the room, surprised at this extraordinary proceeding.
"But why don't you sit down?" she exclaimed. "What have you come away from your table for?"
"Ah! I have no right to leave the table without your permission?"
"Jean!" began Bijou again, "come now, Jean!"
Once again M. de Rueille interposed.
"Why don't you kneel down to him at once?" he said, in a sharp tone.
"Goodness! I don't mind doing that even if he will only be persuaded."