The professor clapped his hands, tossed his new hat in the air, and seemed inclined to cut a caper.
“Tandem! Denique! Ultima cumæi venit jam carminis ætas! Jam nova progenies cœlo demittitur alto!”
“Why no, that isn’t it,” replied Jasmin; “I tell you that the notary and two of his friends are coming.”
“Very good! perfect! more than perfect! We must now find my pupil at once.”
“I was going to look for him; he is walking with little Louise in the direction of Maison Rouge.”
“With little Louise, who is already large. How imprudent it is! It is high time to separate the man from the serpent!”
“Did you see a serpent?”
“The serpent, my dear Jasmin, is woman, the apple, sin! You don’t seem to understand; I will explain it to you some other day, but now we must find the child at once.”
“Especially as those gentlemen requested me to send the little girl away this morning, while they were talking to my master.”
“You see, those gentlemen think as I do; they understand that this little girl is now a dangerous companion, most certainly. We will get her out of the way, virtuous Jasmin, we will find a pretext, a subterfuge. Come, take my arm and let us run.”