“I beg you to remain, Nicette,” I said, at last.
“No, monsieur; I made a mistake about you; I must go.”
“Listen to me; in the first place, you can’t go away from the house alone; at this time of night the concierge opens the door only to those who give their names.”
“Oh! but I remember your name; it’s Dorsan.”
“It isn’t enough to give my name; she would know that it wasn’t my voice.”
“All right; then I’ll stay in the courtyard till morning.”
“Excellent; everybody will see you; and think of the remarks and tittle-tattle of all the cooks of the quarter! It’s bad enough that that infernal Raymond should have seen you. Come back to my rooms, Nicette; I promise, yes, I swear, to behave myself and not to torment you.”
She hesitated; she looked into my face, and doubtless my eyes told her all that was taking place in my mind; for she closed the door of the landing, and smiled at me, saying:
“I believe you, and I’ll stay.”
In my joy I was going to kiss her again; but I checked myself, and I did well: oaths amount to so little!