Meanwhile Claude had seen Mimi at various times, and had conversed with her, as before, in a very confidential manner. The danger of which Margot had spoken was present in Mimi's thoughts, also; and she was anxious to secure Claude's assistance.
Thus it was that Mimi communicated to Claude all about her personal affairs. There was something almost childish in this ready communicativeness; but she knew no reason for concealing anything, and therefore was thus frank and outspoken. Claude, also, was quite as willing to tell all about himself; though his own story was somewhat more involved, and could not be told piecemeal, but required a longer and more elaborate explanation.
"Have you many friends in France?" asked Mimi, in an abrupt sort of way, the next time they met.
"Friends in France?" repeated Claude; "not one, that I know of."
"No friends! Then what can you do there?" she asked, innocently.
"Well, I don't know yet," said he. "I will see when I get there. The fact is, I am going there to find out something about my own family—my parents and myself."
At this Mimi fastened her large eyes upon Claude with intense interest.
"How strangely you talk!" said she.
"I'll tell you a secret," said Claude, after a pause.
"What?" she asked.