"Great God! how ugly she is! The Georgette I am expecting used to dress in such excellent taste! One could see how she was built."
"Still, the nearer she comes, the more I think that I recognize her."
"Why, yes, that's so! I would swear that it is she."
"It is she! it certainly is, messieurs. See, she's coming toward us! There's no doubt about it now."
XXIV
THE MOTIVE
It was, in fact, Georgette, dressed in good taste, but very simply, and wearing one of the skirts then in fashion, which transformed a woman into a sugar loaf. She was arm in arm with Colinet, who had entirely laid aside his artless, timid manner.
Georgette and her escort walked up to the three gentlemen, and the young woman bowed pleasantly to them, saying:
"Excuse me, messieurs, for having kept you waiting. It was our driver's fault, for his horses hardly crawled. Allow me, first of all, to present my husband, Monsieur Colinet."
Colinet gravely saluted the three men, who returned his salutation.
"Did she send for us to introduce her husband?" they said to themselves. "That was hardly worth while!"