"Natalie Lipinski."
"Pardon, there you are reckoning without your host," the Prince says, almost crossly. "Natalie does not wish to marry."
"So say all girls, before the right man appears."
"You're wrong," Zino interposes. "I know of three people--hm! people of some importance--to whom Natalie has given the mitten. Two of them I cannot name: the third well, I myself am the third. She refused me point-blank."
"Tiens! now I guess the reason of your lasting friendship for Natalie: you are ever grateful to her for that refusal!" Thérèse laughs. "You and Natalie!--it is inconceivable."
"She pleased me," the Prince confesses. "'Tis strange: you're sure to over-eat yourself on delicacies; you never do on good strong bouillon. Natalie always reminds me of bouillon. She is the only girl for whom ever since I first knew her--that is, ever since I was a boy--I have felt the same degree of friendship. Ça!" he takes his watch out of his pocket; "she begged me not to fail to come to the Rue de la Bruyère to-day. Will not you come too, Edgar? She would be delighted to see you."
Edgar lifts his brows with a bored expression. Before he finds time in his slow way to answer, Thérèse interposes:
"Do go, Edgar, please! You must know that Monsieur de Hauterive is to make his declaration to Stella to-day. I advised him to speak to her before he preferred his suit to her mother: it is the fashion in Austria. Stella would be sure to value such a concession to Austrian custom. Yes, Edgar, go to the Lipinskis' and watch little Stella and her adorer. If I were not so utterly done up I would go too, I am so very curious."