"Your father's asking for you, Juliette," she said.—"Ah! your servant, madame! excuse me for disturbing you."
"Not at all, madame; I was just going when you came in; in any event, I would not keep Juliette from obeying her father's summons.—Au revoir, dear girl!"
As Nathalie kissed her, Juliette whispered in her ear:
"Come to see me after the famous dinner; I will tell you the result."
"Very well; and I will tell you if—I have seen him again."
"Madame, I have the honor to salute you."
"Present my compliments to Monsieur Mirotaine, if you please!"
"I will not fail, madame."
V
SMALL DISHES IN LARGE ONES
The day of the famous dinner party had arrived, and everything was in confusion at Monsieur Mirotaine's, where the entertainment of strangers was a most extraordinary thing. From ten o'clock in the morning, the master of the house had been parading his apartments, going constantly from the dining-room to the kitchen and back, and heaving profound sighs at sight of the preparations for the repast. Seeing Goth, his young maid-servant, take something from the sideboard, he stopped her, saying: