"A very pretty flower-maker; an animated, saucy face, eyes full of fire, a charming figure, and nineteen years at most."
"Fichtre! how exactly that would meet my views—longing to love, as I do; for at my age, you understand, it makes no difference how much a man may suffer from grief and regret, nature, powerful, fruitful nature always cries out within us and makes us understand that we are not on earth to give all our thoughts to the dead.—Ah! there goes a domino who looked into the very whites of my eyes. What a look! there were a great many things in that look.—We were saying that your Amélia is very attractive, and only nineteen; is she free?"
"Yes, since she left me."
"How long since you parted?"
"This morning."
"That's not long; so it's to be hoped that she hasn't replaced you yet."
"I wouldn't swear to it."
"If she is still free, and we find her, will you permit me to apply for the vacancy?"
"I permit you to do whatever you choose, absolutely."
"Ah! you're very good, on my word! you're not like Freluchon, who will never turn his ex-mistresses over to me; and yet it seems to me that he owes me that much.—A little débardeur, you say? what color? what sort of head-dress?"