"Oho! why, then you have been laughing at me, making a fool of me!"
"In what way have I made a fool of you, monsieur?"
"In what way? Why, in every way! When a woman accepts a man's attentions, when she consents to receive presents from him,—a shawl, a bonnet, and heaven knows what!—she doesn't send him about his business afterward, do you understand, mademoiselle?"
"I understand, monsieur, that you are as foolish as you are impertinent. Did I ever give you the slightest hope that I would be your mistress? You taunt me for accepting a few paltry presents. I have made you some much more valuable ones, by consenting to receive your visits, to go to walk and to the theatre with you, to put my arm in yours. Do you count all that as nothing, monsieur?"
"I don't say that. But you consented to dine with me in a private room; and when a woman goes to a private dining-room with a gentleman—it isn't for the purpose of being cruel. Everybody knows that."
"Oh! I could well afford to dine tête-à-tête with you, monsieur, for you have never been at all dangerous to me."
"Then why have you always refused until to-day?"
"Because I didn't choose to give you hopes that could not be realized."
"And why did you accept to-day?"
"Because it bored me to walk about in the rain with you. But, never fear, monsieur, I shall not be caught again."