"Madame Picotée? No; I met her in the courtyard no longer ago than this morning."
"What's that? who said anything about Madame Picotée, you idiot? Didn't I say our little neighbor? What do you suppose I care for that old party? I am talking about the girl on the entresol, the charming Georgette."
When he heard the pretty shirtmaker's name, Frontin said to himself:
"This is a test; monsieur forbade me to speak of her; he is trying to test me."
Whereupon he put a finger to his lip and turned to his master, shaking his head and laughing, as if to say:
"Not such a fool as you think!"
And Monsieur de Mardeille, thoroughly out of patience, shook his servant's arm, crying:
"Will you answer me, you clown?"
"You forbade me to mention the young girl on the entresol, monsieur."
"I retract that order, numskull!"