"A saint, then?" exclaimed Arthur.
"Really, gentlemen, she is very virtuous and respectable."
"So much the better," said the young men to Aube. "We would like to take a good look at the little one. Send her up to us so that she can sing a few songs for us, and at the same time put a few more bottles on the ice."
Monsieur Aube did not know what to do.
"What are you waiting for?" asked the vicomte, in a maudlin voice.
"Gentlemen, the little one is so pure," said the landlord, earnestly.
"Are we going to ruin her?" exclaimed Talizac, with a laugh. "She shall sing, and we will pay her well for it. She shall get a hundred francs; is that enough?"
The landlord considered. He knew Louison was poor, and he said to himself he had no right to prevent the pretty girl from earning so much money. Moreover, she was not called "The Marquise" for nothing, and Velletri's mien reassured the host. So he came to the conclusion that there was no danger to be feared for his protégée. Even if the other two were drunk, the Italian was sober; and so the host finally said:
"I will send the little one."