Paul remained in the background; he dared not go forward. But Agathe went to meet him. He bent his knee before her; whereupon she held out the flowers she had taken from her father’s grave and said:
“These have told me that you too mourn for him; is it not equivalent to telling me to forgive you?”
The time passes very quickly with those who love one another, and who are engaged in forming the most delicious plans of happiness for the future.
Freluchon passed his time caressing the noble dog, of whom he too had made a friend.
For one moment, however, Agathe’s felicity was disturbed; it was when a chance remark informed her that Madame de Belleville was the very woman who had caused her father’s death.
The color fled from her cheeks and she murmured:
“Ah! now I understand the feeling of repulsion that that woman aroused in me. You won’t go to her house any more, Edmond, will you?”
“I will not, indeed; I give you my word, dear Agathe; and if I had known this distressing story sooner, I certainly would not have gone to her party last night.”
“Nor would I,” said Freluchon.
“And nothing unpleasant happened to you there?”