"But is there nothing to keep you in Paris?"
"Oh! nothing at all, not even a cot-bed."
"No affair of the heart?"
"Oh! with respect to affairs of the heart, I am not like you! I will form attachments as we go along, or, better still, I'll give them up altogether. My mind is made up; I propose to be virtuous and orderly; you will be edified by my behavior."
"Well, then, my dear Dubourg, it is settled that we travel together."
"There is just one little difficulty left: suppose your father doesn't want you to travel?"
"Oh! I don't think that he'll object; I have already mentioned the subject to him, and he seemed to approve of it."
"Then everything will go as nicely as possible; but will you tell him that you are going to take me?"
"Why not? I shall say that a friend of mine, who is also about to travel, will be able to accompany me for some time."
"All right; arrange it as best you can; if necessary, you can present me to your father, who hardly knows me, and you will see what a dignified and imposing manner I can assume. Above all things, don't mention little Delphine, or my aunt, or my supposed marriage, or my triplets."