"That means that he is vexed because he hasn't guessed it," said Batonnin to himself, as they separated. "For my part, I would bet—six francs to twenty—that young De Raincy and old De la Bérinière are in love with the charming Adolphine; and I would also bet—twenty francs to thirty—that the girl doesn't care for either of them. So much the better for me! I have all the more chance. Let us wait, let us let the mutton boil, as the common saying goes. That's an old proverb; and I am like Sancho, I love proverbs."
Adolphine also had noticed her father's brief aside with the count and with De Raincy. When all the guests had gone, she went to him, and said with a smile:
"So those gentlemen have secrets with you, have they, father? for Monsieur de la Bérinière, and then Monsieur Anatole, whispered to you in a corner."
"Faith! my dear girl, as yet I have no more idea than you what they have to say to me; but each of them asked me for an appointment to-morrow, having a very important matter to discuss with me. I said to Monsieur de Raincy: 'I shall expect you at eleven o'clock;' and to Monsieur de la Bérinière: 'You will find me at home at one;' so I suppose that, at three or four o'clock to-morrow, I shall be able to gratify your curiosity, and to tell you what those gentlemen have confided to me—— Unless it concerns serious matters, which one doesn't tell to little girls; but I fancy not."
"You fancy not?—Do you mean that you suspect what it is, father?"
"Why—bless my soul!—but, after all, as they will tell me to-morrow, it's useless to indulge in conjectures. Ah! there's something which interests me much more than that."
"What is it, father?"
"The duel that Batonnin told us about. I pretended, before him, not to put any faith in what he said; but, if all that he told us is true, why, your sister's husband didn't hurt himself by falling on the stairs—and it must have been Gustave with whom he fought."
"Oh, no, father, no; I give you my word that it wasn't Gustave."
"Aha! so you know the truth, do you? and you never told me anything about it?"