“Where’s my kind friend, I’d like to know?”
They had been walking more than an hour when they found themselves at last on Rue Saint-Georges.
“Here we are, Coco,” said Denise, joyously; “here’s Monsieur Auguste’s house, and you’ll soon have a chance to embrace your kind friend! He’ll be glad to see you. Oh, yes! I’m sure he’ll give us a warm welcome.”
The child forgot his fatigue. They passed under the porte cochère, and Denise looked about in embarrassment. She could not control her emotion, and she halted with the child and her basket between two handsome stairways, uncertain which way to turn; while Coco began to cry at the top of his voice:
“My kind friend, we’ve brought you some cake and some fruit!”
“Vat’s all this how-d’ye-do?” said Schtrack, opening his door and glaring at the young woman and the child, who were standing in the middle of the courtyard. “I say, my girl, haf you come here to sell geese?”
Denise blushed, and stammered as she looked at Schtrack:
“Which way shall I go up, monsieur?”
“You mustn’t go up at all, sacretié! This is not ein boultry market. Go outside und yell mit te leedle broder.”
Schtrack was about to come forth to turn Denise and the child into the street, when Bertrand came downstairs, and was thunderstruck to see the girl.