“That flower girl is rather late about opening, it seems to me,” I said.
“Oh! it’s early yet; but still, she’s been a bit lazylike for some time. Well, well! it isn’t surprising!”
“Why so?”
“When a woman gets love into her head!”
“How do you know? Who told you she was in love?”
“Oh! a man don’t have to be very sharp to see that kind of thing! you see, I’ve been on this square twenty year, so I ought to know pretty well what’s going on in the quarter.”
“What do you know about this girl? What have you seen? Answer, and keep nothing back. Here, take this.”
I felt in my pocket again and put more silver in the messenger’s hand, whereat his amazement redoubled and he looked into my face for symptoms of insanity.
“You told me that this girl was virtuous and honest, and that she did not speak to anybody, because she preferred not to.”
“That’s true, monsieur, that’s true. She’s honest enough still; but when a girl’s young, she may take a liking for someone, and——”