“Your sister is more to blame than you.”
“Yes, but she’s fond of my sister, and she don’t like me.”
“Well, we haven’t come all this distance not to try our luck.”
“That is true, monsieur. Come on, let’s go to the house.”
We arrived in front of Madame Jérôme’s shop; I had learned from Nicette that that was her mother’s name. Everything was tightly closed and perfectly still; no light could be seen inside the house.
“Does your mother sleep in the shop?”
“Yes, monsieur; at the back.”
“We must knock.”
“Oh! if only my sister hasn’t got home!”
“Let’s knock, in any event.”