"Oh! you're always out of humor now; you make a great mistake to torment yourself all the time;—it will change your whole appearance, it will make your complexion yellow. If you want to remain pretty, you must never lose your temper. A medical student told me that. He ought to know a lot, for he attended lectures ten years. He also told me that if I wanted to be well, I must be gay; for there's nothing that's so healthy as gayety."
"Every ten years' student ought to know that gayety can't be administered at pleasure, like a syrup or a drug. To tell a person to be gay is as foolish as to tell him not to have a headache! However, I know perfectly well that I am not sensible; but when I saw Edmond drive by in a cab with his new passion, I could not restrain a spasm of anger."
"Yes, and you nearly caused us to be run over by a coupé."
"But that little flower-maker is a horrid-looking creature; it makes one ashamed to be deserted for such a fright."
"Horrid-looking! oh! that's nonsense. She has a cunning little way with her, and a saucy face such as men like."
"She is as common as one can imagine. If Edmond had left me for a very pretty woman, I would forgive him."
"That is not true; you would be even more put out. Oh! I know all about that; it's always some little compensation to be able to say to yourself: 'I am certainly prettier than she is, and his new love won't last long.'"
Thélénie rang for her maid and Mademoiselle Mélie appeared.
"Has anybody been here while I have been out?"
"Yes, madame, that gentleman who came a few days ago, and who was so amusing when he went away; who had torn his coat, and—another part of his clothes."