"Oh, yes," said Bijou, "you must cross that out!"
"No, leave it as it is, on the contrary," protested Jean, laughing; "they'll think that Mæterlinck collaborated with us—it will be capital."
"Supposing we were to retire," proposed M. de Jonzac. "Paul is half-asleep, that's why he wrote the same thing over three times without noticing it. Abbé Courteil is fast asleep, and, as for me, I am dying to follow his example."
"Oh," said Bijou, "it is scarcely one o'clock."
"Well, but it seems to me that in the country—What do you say about the matter, Monsieur Giraud?"
"Oh, as for me, monsieur, I could sit up all night without feeling sleepy," replied the young tutor, without taking his eyes off Bijou.
"My dear children," said the marchioness, getting up, "your uncle is quite right, you must go to bed. Bijou, will you see that the books you had out of the library are put back?"
"Yes grandmamma, I will put them back myself."
When the others had gone upstairs, M. de Rueille asked:
"Shall I help you, Bijou? two will do it more quickly—"