"I beg your pardon, Jean, my dear fellow, but I firmly believed that you were the great favourite."
M. de Rueille broke off suddenly, and appeared to be straining his ears.
"Ah!" he said, "there she is!"
Bijou was just coming out of the stable, followed, of course, by Pierrot.
She tripped daintily across towards the two men, examining them in her calm, smiling way.
"Whatever's the matter with you both?" she asked; "you look—I don't know how!"
V.
Bijou was in the dining-room, arranging the flowers on the table for dinner, whilst in the butler's pantry the servants were polishing up the large silver dishes until they shone brilliantly.