“Try, my friend, try to prevent Agathe from blowing her nose!”
“I can’t promise that, but I’ll motion to her to blow it in her napkin; that cannot compromise you.”
“That’s the very thing.”
“Adieu! a longer absence might arouse suspicion.”
Once more I left Raymond, who locked himself into his room. I returned to Agathe. The waitress arrived with the dinner; she seemed surprised at the change of cavalier, but two or three words in her ear and a five-franc piece in her hand speedily retained her in our interest. She promised to tell the stout gentleman that there were three in our party, and thereupon she left us, overjoyed to be able to amuse herself at the expense of the man who had upset a tureen of soup on her feet.
“Now, let us dine,” said I, taking my seat at the table beside Agathe; “no one can deny that we have earned it. I hardly expected to dine with you, I admit.”
“Nor I! but impromptu pleasures are always the best.”
“A month ago we had already become reasonable and sedate in our tête-à-têtes.”
“I tell you, we did well to part; we are much better pleased to see each other.”
“Oh! I know that you are passionately fond of variety.”