Albert's face became clouded; he looked after the citadine, which was already some distance away, then stopped and seemed to hesitate as to what he should do next.
"Well! what's the matter with you?" said Célestin, looking at his friend as if he would have liked to read his inmost thoughts; "do you think of following that carriage?"
Albert tried to smile, as he replied:
"The fact is that I am curious to know—— This Madame Baldimer is a great flirt, but she has no lover, so far as anyone knows; she allows everybody to pay court to her, and seems inclined to make sport of her adorers."
"Why is anyone foolish enough to pay court to her?"
"Why, because she is lovely."
"There's no lack of lovely women in Paris."
"Nor in the suburbs," said Tobie. "I knew one at Nanterre. Such a love of a woman!"
"Did she sell cakes?"
"Ah! you joker! cakes! She was a woman of very high position."