“Because you bowed first; it would have been very pretty if they hadn’t returned your bow! Come, Monsieur Luminot, let us go on, I beg; do you propose to remain in admiring contemplation before the skirts of those ladies?”
And Madame Droguet, having given her husband a push to make him go forward, dragged Monsieur Luminot and the doctor away, and almost made them run.
“Oh! what a strange woman!” cried Agathe with a laugh; “what eyes she made at us! Did you see, Honorine? One would say she wanted to turn us to stone.”
“Doubtless that is Madame Droguet, whom Doctor Antoine has often mentioned to us.”
“And that little slim man who stands on one leg when he looks at you is probably her husband.”
When the ladies reached their house, Honorine took her arm from her escort’s, saying:
“This is our modest abode; would you not like to come in a moment and rest, monsieur? I must have fatigued you terribly.”
“I thank you, madame,” Paul replied, bowing, “but I will continue my walk.”
“Oh! do come in a moment, monsieur,” said Agathe; “see, your good dog seems to invite you; he has already gone in.”
Paul’s only reply was to call his dog which quickly returned to his side; then he hurried away, after saluting the ladies.