“I see; but there’s a young man with them.”
Thélénie looked up and saw Edmond. Her face became ghastly pale. But, making a mighty effort to conceal her emotion, she stopped in front of the summer-house, bowed to the young man and said with a gracious smile:
“Why! it’s Monsieur Edmond Didier! I am delighted to meet you here. I hope that we shall have the pleasure of seeing you occasionally. We have bought a place here and mean to stay all summer.”
Edmond bowed very coldly, but made no reply.
Thereupon the beautiful brunette nodded her head to him very familiarly, and, as if she had not noticed the two ladies who were present, turned to Croque and said:
“Come, my dear baron, we must walk faster; my husband will not know what has become of us; he must be worried.—Au revoir, Monsieur Edmond!”
The pretended baron raised his hat and bowed very respectfully as he passed the window, muttering:
“Bigre! a pretty morsel, that young blonde! I wouldn’t object at all to that game!”
“Very well! take her, I give her to you,” said Thélénie, contracting her heavy eyebrows.