"She is here, is she not, madame?"
"Rosette? my niece Rosette?—Have I got any parsley? have I got any parsley? It would be just like me not to have any parsley!"
"Will you kindly tell me if I may speak to her? Will you call her?"
"Who? Rosette? my niece Rosette?—A body don't have a minute to herself! It must be after twelve. Is it after twelve?"
I began to lose patience, and, being convinced that Rosette was not far away, I shouted at the top of my voice:
"Mademoiselle Rosette, you're wanted!"
At that, the infernal old hag stopped, looked at me, and began to laugh. When she had laughed her fill, she said:
"It's no use for you to call and yell, as she ain't here; you might just as well sing!"
"She is not here? You should have told me that at once, madame."
"You didn't give me time.—And my fire, my fire——"