"Oh! monsieur, if it would not be too great an abuse of your good-nature."
"I will go to your father's house, madame. Mon Dieu! while I am in the way of doing errands, it won't cost me any more."
"Ah! monsieur, how kind you are! how grateful I am to you!"
"I have always been at the service of the ladies. Monsieur Gerbault's address, if you please?"
"Ah! you know my father's name?"
"Yes, madame. Indeed, there are many things that I know; but I won't tell you them at this moment."
"Here is my father's address."
"Very good; I will go there at once, madame. If I can be of any further use to you, command me; Arthur Cherami, Hôtel du Bel-Air, Rue de l'Orillon, Belleville—but prepay your letters. I present my respects, madame."
"I am a sort of dead man's messenger just now," said Cherami to himself, as he went away; "but, after all, I couldn't refuse that young woman; she's so pretty, and she's no fool; far from it! Ah! I can understand how she bewitched Gustave. Never mind; for my part, I prefer a weak woman to a strong one."
Monsieur Gerbault was at home, and with his daughter, when Cherami made his appearance. Fanny's father, who had never seen his visitor, offered him a chair, and waited for him to explain the object of his visit. But Adolphine, as soon as he entered the room, recognized Cherami as the person who had dined with Gustave on the day of her sister's wedding; and Cherami, on his side, bestowed a graceful salutation upon the young lady, as upon a person whom he had met before.