"Must I?" says Jacques, reflecting that after all his offence was not so dreadful.
"If you please."
"I said Belle-bouche."
"Ah! that is——?"
"Pretty-mouth," says Lovelace, with the air of a man who is caught feloniously appropriating sheep; but unable to refrain from bending wistful looks upon the topic of his discourse.
Belle-bouche laughs with a delicious good humor, and Jacques takes heart again.
"Is that all?" she says; "but what a pretty name!"
"Do you like it, really?" asks the forlorn lover.
"Indeed I do."
"And may I call you Belle-bouche?"