“Indeed I shall,” eagerly replied Léontine. “I shall go back with you.”
“But I sha’n’t be going back till the midnight train. You see I am beginning to keep late hours, to make up for lost time, and that will be too late for you. Why can’t you remain at de Meneval’s quarters?”
“I have an engagement early to-morrow morning,” replied Léontine, who was determined to get to Paris as quickly as she could and make some private inquiries on her own account concerning Madame Vernet. The same intention was fixed in de Meneval’s mind. Therefore he said:
“Never mind, Léontine; I am off duty till twelve o’clock to-morrow, and I will take you to Paris to-night, if you wish.”
At which Léontine, looking very blank, replied:
“Oh, very well. That will be nice.”
“Now, why are you in such a hurry to get to Paris?” asked Papa Bouchard. “The next train is always crowded—not a seat to be had in a first-class compartment for love or money, and it makes a stop of only two minutes and a half; unless one is already at the station it is almost impossible to make it, and you see it is now within a few minutes of the train.”
While Monsieur Bouchard was speaking he was putting on his gloves and making for the garden door, and the de Menevals, each carefully avoiding an appearance of haste, were following him. Everybody had forgotten that the champagne was not paid for, except François.
“So,” kept on Papa Bouchard, still edging away, “you will go by the late train; perhaps I’ll wait for it myself.”