“Oh, Bertrand! such a pleasant memory! And it’s so long since I thought of her!”
“Who, lieutenant?”
“Lovely Denise, the pretty little milkmaid of Montfermeil. Ah! she is virtuous, I’ll swear to that.”
“That would be taking a big risk; you hardly know her, and you haven’t seen her for two months.”
“Do you know why I haven’t seen her, Bertrand?”
“Because you forgot her.”
“No, it isn’t that alone. I have had another reason; you’ll laugh, but it is that I am afraid of becoming too fond of that girl.”
“In that case, it’s very delicate on your part.”
“Yes, of course it is; for why should I try to seduce that child, who is virtuous and innocent, and who is living a tranquil life in her village?”
“That would be very wrong, monsieur; there’s girls enough willing to be seduced in Paris, without going into the suburbs to look for others.”