"Yes; that is her name."
"And this old woman is the only one about her?"
"Mercy! isn't that enough? Besides, the little one never goes out, and no one ever sees her even put her nose out of the window."
"Tell me, ladies, don't you think, with me, that the barber has brought up this pretty child for himself, and that he would not take so much care of her unless he was in love with her?"
"Indeed, that might very well be possible. Touquet is still young, and perhaps wishes to marry her."
"Nonsense! I don't believe that; and besides, they say that the young person is not good-looking. I have heard it said by an ugly little thin man, with a long sword, who is often at the barber's shop, that the orphan is very ugly."
"Ugly!" cried Urbain quickly. "That's a frightful lie!"
"Ah, monsieur has seen her, then?" immediately said the gossips, looking at the young man with a mischievous air.
The latter felt that he had committed an imprudence; but having nothing more to learn from these dames, he made them a low bow and left the shop, leaving the gossips to talk among themselves.
"Well, if he hasn't gone, and he didn't tell us what he wanted with Touquet."