“Ah! here is the baroness, messieurs, the famous Baroness de—de—what’s her name?”
“De Grangeville.—What a beautiful dress!”
“What style! that woman must have been extremely pretty once.”
“Ah! here is my friend Jéricourt, the literary man, with Monsieur Alfred de Saint-Arthur.”
Astianax ran to meet his friend, who was already looking about with a mocking air at the gardens and at the people whom he saw in them.
“Good-evening, my dear neighbor; it is very kind of you to have remembered my invitation.”
“I should have been very sorry not to accept it, my dear Astianax; I am told that there is always much entertainment at your house, and that the supper is always excellent.—By the way, allow me to introduce my friend, Monsieur de Saint-Arthur.”
“Highly flattered, monsieur; I have had the honor of seeing you with monsieur.”
“True, we met on the boulevard.”
“At the booth of a pretty flower girl.”