"Bertrade refuses absolutely," replied the young wife, very gently.
"It isn't nice of you."
"Is Madame de Staël indispensable?" asked Uncle Jonzac.
"Quite indispensable," answered Bijou, emphatically. "We must absolutely find some way of—" And then suddenly breaking off, as a new idea struck her, she exclaimed gaily: "Why, Henry can take it—Madame de Staël's rôle; he has scarcely any moustache."
"I?" cried Bracieux. "I act Madame de Staël?"
"She was rather masculine; it will do very well."
"But, good heavens!—I am not going to appear before people I know arrayed in a low-necked dress, a turban, and all padded up—why, it would be frightful!"
"Not at all! Oh, come now—you don't want pressing, I hope?"
"And you are not going to spoil the whole thing by being disobliging over it," added Pierrot, with a virtuous air.
"Disobliging?" exclaimed Henry, turning towards him; "it is very evident that you are not in my place. By the bye, though, you might very well be in my place;" and then seeing that Pierrot looked horror-stricken, he continued: "Why shouldn't you take it instead of me—you have less moustache even than I have!"