M. de Clagny shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, nonsense!" he said, "I can see it all quite plainly."
"There are only three guests left now for me to introduce to you," continued Bijou, evidently wishing to change the subject of the conversation. "There are the Juzencourts—people who are very much up-to-date, and who have bought 'The Pines'—and one of their friends who is staying for a month with them, a delightful young widow, the Viscountess de Nézel."
"What!" exclaimed the count, with an abrupt movement; "Madame de Nézel—Jean de Blaye is here then?"
Denyse opened her beautiful, bright eyes wide, as she replied in astonishment:
"Yes, Jean is here; but what has that to do with——?"
"Oh, nothing at all! nothing at all!" said M. de Clagny hastily, and then after a moment's silence, he asked: "Is Madame de Nézel as pretty as ever?"
"She is very pretty."
"As pretty as you?"
Bijou smiled. "Why do you make fun of me? I know very well that I am not pretty," she said.