"One moment," said Blanche, "let her rest for a minute, she looks tired. Do you need anything?"
"No, I thank you," said Urbain, raising his eyes on the amiable child, and immediately abasing them, for he feared that she would read in them all the love which consumed him and it seemed to him that the moment was very ill-chosen to make it known; besides, he was so happy near Blanche that he wished to prolong the time, and, thanks to his disguise, he could see the sweet girl practise her graces, her amiability, and learn her character much better than if he had appeared to her in his true form. Before a lover the frankest girl is always timid, embarrassed, reserved, while with a person of her own sex she expresses without constraint the feelings which she experiences.
"And so you are looking for a place?" said Blanche, seating herself near Urbain.
"Yes, mademoiselle."
"Have you been long in Paris?"
"A fortnight, mademoiselle."
"And your parents?"
"I have none, mademoiselle. I am an orphan."
"Poor girl! that's like me, I am an orphan also, and if M. Touquet had not taken care of me I too should have had to go to work to earn my living."
"You, mademoiselle," said Urbain ardently, but he restrained himself and finished in a low voice, "that would have been very unfortunate."