“I cannot tell you, mademoiselle.”
“Aha! so monsieur has secrets. All right! I prefer to have you tell me that. But my portrait—did you intend to carry that away?”
“No, mademoiselle, I should have had it delivered to you.”
“You would have sent it to me! but it is not finished; there is a great deal still to be done on it.”
At that moment the uncle returned and said:
“The lady is not visible yet. I expected as much. But she is greatly touched by our thoughtfulness and feels a little better this morning.”
“I am glad of that. I will go to see her.—By the way, uncle, when do we return to Paris?”
“When! upon my soul! that is a sensible question! I do exactly as she wishes, and she pretends to wait upon my desires. Ha! ha! that’s a good joke!”
“Well, it seems to me that we might pass another week here. And if Monsieur Dalbreuse’s business were not so urgent, we would invite him to accept a seat in our carriage, and take him to Paris with us.—Well, monsieur, will you tell us what you think of my uncle’s proposition?”
“Yes, my dear fellow; for although my niece always arranges everything to suit her own whim, I must needs pretend to have done it. However, be sure that I shall be most delighted to have you for a travelling companion.”