"Ah! I didn't say that!"
"But you will not say anything!"
"I am not so quick as you.—By the way, I did have something to say to you. The other evening, you went away with Madame Dauberny, I believe. Did you escort her home? That would be very natural, as my friend was of such great assistance to you at the Guillardin ball that you should be polite to her."
I did not know what to say; I was uncertain whether Frédérique wanted it known that she had invited us to supper. In that uncertainty, it seemed to me more becoming to say nothing about that episode; one never repents having been discreet.
"I escorted Madame Dauberny to her door," I replied, after a moment, "and left her there."
"Ah! that is strange! It took you a long time to tell me that!"
"Because—I had forgotten."
"Indeed! Frédérique is so original—so disdainful of conventionalities sometimes, that I had thought——"
"What, pray?"
"But, no, that would have been contrary to all the proprieties! To be sure, she snaps her fingers at them."