In a moment Mademoiselle Georgette laughed heartily, and thereby completely disconcerted her visitor, who gazed at her in amazement, saying:
"You are very merry, I see, mademoiselle."
"It is true, monsieur, that I do not engender melancholy."
"And might I ask what has aroused your merriment at this moment?"
"Why, you, monsieur!"
"I! Ah! it is I who make you laugh! Do you find me so very amusing, pray, mademoiselle?"
"Amusing is not the word, monsieur; but, to speak frankly, you are far from clever in inventing a pretext."
"A pretext! What do you mean? I don't understand."
"Still, it's easy enough to understand. You wanted to have an excuse, a reason, for coming to my room—for you have nothing to be embroidered."
"What makes you think that, mademoiselle?"