Fanny, seeing that nobody thought of coming to her assistance, decided to recover; so she straightened herself up, and said in a tremulous voice:
"Ah! mon Dieu! Monsieur Gustave, your presence caused me such a thrill of emotion! I almost fainted."
Gustave bowed gravely to Fanny, saying, in an indifferent tone:
"Madame is well, I trust?"
"Why, no, I have been ill, I have suffered a great deal. You must find me changed, do you not?"
"I fancy we shall have fine weather to-day," said Gustave, turning to Adolphine, who whispered:
"She knows nothing."
"Very well! we will give her a surprise."
"What does this mean? He doesn't listen to me," thought Fanny.
She sprang to her feet and went up to the young man, saying: