"Have you returned to Paris for some time?"
"For always! I have no further desire to travel. My uncle, who is good enough to say that I understand the business very well, told me yesterday that he would make me his partner."
"The deuce! that's very nice, indeed; for your uncle's business is very extensive, I believe?"
"His profits never fall below sixty thousand francs a year."
"Of which you will have half. That makes you a rich parti!—Talking of partis, Adolphine, I have another one to propose to you; and this time perhaps you will accept, for you surely don't intend to die an old maid."
Adolphine looked anxiously at her father; Gustave himself had a vague feeling of apprehension. Monsieur Gerbault eyed them both with a sly expression, and continued:
"Yes, my child; a new suitor has come forward. He will never see twenty-five again, and he is not very rich; but he has a competence and an honorable position in society. It is Monsieur Batonnin."
"Monsieur Batonnin! Oh! I won't marry him. I won't marry anybody—that is to say—any of those who——"
Gustave made haste to interrupt Adolphine, and, going up to Monsieur Gerbault, said to him with the utmost seriousness:
"Monsieur, a long time ago I was to have been your son-in-law. Circumstances prevented it, and, if I must confess it, I think that I have every reason to thank destiny therefor. To-day, I come once more to ask your permission to become a member of your family. Mademoiselle Adolphine has consented to be my wife, and something tells me that she will not retract her word."