"You may admire me all you please at the theatre; but as I don't often go, I want to see everything. Let us be off!"
Georgette was already on the landing. Monsieur de Mardeille followed her, saying to himself:
"She has a little will of her own that can't be resisted! But to-night, when we return from the theatre, I flatter myself that she won't dismiss me so quickly."
It was still broad daylight when Georgette left her room, handsomely dressed and on Monsieur de Mardeille's arm. All the neighbors were at their windows; it is unnecessary to say that their tongues were in motion.
"The ex-beau carries the day!" said the photographer; "he is rich and fashionable, and such advantages seduce these little girls, who are immensely flattered by hanging on a dandy's arm."
"And then, he's very good-looking still," said the miniature painter. "I can understand that he may have taken the little one's fancy. These girls have a surprising taste for mature men."
"The Lovelace of the first floor must have put out some money," said the two men of letters; "he's dressed the little neighbor from top to toe. Women can always be caught by flattering their coquetry."
"And we couldn't offer her all that!"
"It's very strange! this Mardeille has the reputation of being a stingy curmudgeon with women."
"That's a report that he spreads himself, so as to get all the more credit."