“‘A truffled turkey!’
“‘Done.’—The next day I played Sganarelle and I had a tremendous success!”
“I believe, messieurs, that I brought this newspaper in order to read it to you; and if you will permit me——”
That devil of a man would not be denied; and although I knew very well that it was about the Bélan whom I knew, I was not at all curious to hear the report of his suit. Luckily, the mistress of the house entered the salon at that moment. After saluting everybody, she went to Mademoiselle Derbin.
“Mon Dieu! if I dared, mademoiselle—if it would not offend you, I——”
“What is it, madame?”
“We have a new guest, a French lady who has been here since morning. She has come to take the waters, and anyone can see that she is not travelling for pleasure solely, for she seems to be very ill, to suffer a great deal.”
“Is it the young lady whom I saw this morning?” asked the Englishman.
“Yes, my lord.”
“She has a very interesting air.”