"Then Mademoiselle Georgette walked to where I had put the presents, and said: 'All these things are very pretty, very elegant, but I don't want them. You may thank monsieur le vicomte for me, take all these beautiful things back to him, and tell him that I will bring what he ordered to-morrow.'—'But I can't take them back, mademoiselle,' I said; 'my master told me to leave them with you.'—'Because your master thought it would make me very happy to receive such beautiful things; but, as he has made a mistake, you must take them back.'—'Mademoiselle,' I added, with a supplicating expression, 'you may do whatever you choose with these garments and materials; but for heaven's sake keep them, or my master will scold me.'—'I am very sorry, but I will not keep them.'—And with that, the young woman, who struck me as being exceedingly obstinate, piled them all on my arms: the shawl, the fabrics, and the bonnet box, and pushed me gently toward the door, which she closed behind me. That is just what happened."
"So that you brought back my presents?"
"I had to do it, monsieur."
"No, you weren't obliged to; you're a fool! You ought to have thrown them all on the floor and run away."
"I am sure that she'd have thrown them out on the landing."
"Well, suppose she had? we should have seen whether she would or not. However, she said that she would come to-morrow?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"Very good!"
Edward was surprised beyond words by the girl's behavior. He paced the floor of his apartment in great agitation. At times he was tempted to go up to Georgette's room himself; but she might refuse to admit him, and he did not choose to make an exhibition of himself before the other tenants; so he went to bed at last, saying to himself:
"She will come to-morrow; I shall see her and find out why she refused my presents; for I had not as yet asked her for anything in exchange. To be sure, the request may be foreseen. Ah! Mademoiselle Georgette, you will not resist me forever! I believe that I am really in love with her! At all events, my honor is involved in the affair now. I must not be the one to pay for that dinner with my friends."