"I was looking at your name," she answered, pointing with her rosy finger to the signature; "Fred—it is a name I am fond of; I gave it to my little godchild, the youngest of Bertrade's children." She seemed to be looking far away through the open window as she repeated very gently: "Fred!" And then passing her little hand over her forehead, and walking towards the door, she said abruptly: "And this dinner—and my flowers for the table,—why, the menus are not written yet, and it is five o'clock!" And then, as the poor fellow looked stupefied and did not attempt to move, she went on: "It's settled about this evening, is it not? I shall have your place laid?"
He answered, in a vague, bewildered way, coming gradually to himself again:
"Amongst all the others in dress-coats, I shall cut the most ridiculous figure."
"Oh, no,—nothing of the kind! Besides, they will not all be in dress-coats. First of all, there is M. de Clagny in a frock-coat; and then M. de Bernès, who is afraid of meeting his General, and so is always arrayed in his uniform: then the abbé in his cassock," and with a laugh she concluded: "That makes three of them who will not be in dress-coats!"
As she was leaving the schoolroom, she ran against Henry de Bracieux, who was coming towards her in the corridor.
"Well, I never!" he exclaimed, in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"And you?"
"I? Why, I was going back to my room."
"And I was coming away from Pierrot's."