"No, monsieur; but the concierge showed me one that his new tenant made for a present to him; it is exceedingly pretty."
"The concierge smokes, does he?"
"Oh! like a porter, monsieur."
"Those knaves take every conceivable liberty!—Well! how does all this concern me?"
"I thought that monsieur might be curious to see the little one from upstairs."
"Just an ordinary face, I am sure; one of those affected little minxes—the grisette who wants to be followed; I know all about it."
"Oh, no! this one has no ordinary face. I will not say that she is precisely a beauty; that would not be true; but it is the whole aspect of her that attracts—and, above all, a figure so well set up—superb outlines—a shapely leg and such a tiny foot!"
"Really! has she all those things? You have examined her very closely, haven't you?"
"I was on the landing just now, monsieur, as she came upstairs, in a jacket and a short petticoat, both white; and the petticoat has an embroidered hem. Oh! she doesn't seem to be at all hard up! And she was humming between her teeth as she came up. I stood aside to let her pass; at that, she gave me a very pleasant bow; and as she was going on, I said: 'Are we to have the good fortune to have you for a neighbor, mademoiselle?'"
"This devil of a Lépinette doesn't waste any time; he makes acquaintances at once!"