"Do you suppose that I do not recognize you, monsieur?"
"Ah! you recognize me, do you?"
"To be sure; you live at the small hotel opposite, where you pass your time staring at me, making eyes at me——"
"Ah! you have noticed that?"
And Dupont puffed himself out like a turkey-cock; he was gratified to have been observed, and drew a favorable augury from that fact.
"Yes, monsieur, I have noticed that," the young embroiderer continued. "How could I have helped seeing it, unless I was blind? Why, the other day, when you came to the window, it was horribly cold, and your nose was all blue! I was strongly tempted to make faces at you."
At this point, Dupont bit his lips and did not puff himself out.
"I didn't do it, because I presumed, seeing your head all bandaged, that you were either sick or hurt; and one should always take pity on those who suffer; but you are cured now, it seems."
"Yes, mademoiselle; I fought a duel, and was wounded in the head."
"Ah! you fought a duel, did you, monsieur? May a body, without being too inquisitive, ask what was the cause of your duel?"