"It's that tall man dressed as a Spaniard, I suppose, that that woman came to tell you about?"
"Exactly; an idiot who thinks he's made a conquest of me.—Come this way, we'll get down more quickly."
As the two women started downstairs, the tall man who had talked with Thélénie in her box, happened to be directly in front of her. He stopped her, saying:
"How is this? you have left your hidalgo? Oh! my dear, you were very foolish to leave him, for you won't find his like at this ball."
"And I am not looking for him, you see, as I am going away."
"Without Edmond Didier?"
"Without Edmond Didier!"
"Whom you leave behind in the company of an extremely pretty little débardeur."
"I am absolutely indifferent to that, as you see!"
"Oh! you conceal your thoughts; it certainly was for some purpose that you consented to pass your arm through that fellow's,—that man had the appearance of a mustard sign."