"That you were my customer.—By the way, bourgeois, shall I take a bouquet to Madame de Grangeville from you to-day?"
"No, no, that's all over; you won't take her any more bouquets—from me at least.—But let us return to the flower girl; you said to her——"
"I said to her: 'you have a very distinguished neighbor, who is—who is no fool.'"
"Really, you don't think me a fool?"
"No, monsieur."
"I am very much flattered that you have such a good opinion of me."
"You are joking; but I know what I'm talking about, I tell you!"
"And this girl doesn't choose to receive me because you told her that I was no fool?"
"Oh! it isn't that. I said: 'If you wish, mamzelle, Monsieur de Roncherolle won't refuse to come now and then to sit with you, and he'll be splendid company for you;' and then I added: 'you can receive him without compromising yourself, because in the first place, he ain't young, in the second place, he's gouty, and in the third place—— '"
"Go on, while you are about it!"