Bertrand frowned and motioned to his master that he wanted to speak to him in private. Auguste succeeded in making the young woman understand that she must let go his arm for a moment, and he joined the ex-corporal, who said to him with a stern expression:
“I beg pardon, lieutenant, but who is this woman who sticks to your arm as if you had glue on your sleeve?”
“She’s a young woman who was with us in the diligence.”
“And why didn’t she stay there?”
“Because I took her to walk with me.”
“Who is the woman?”
“A very entertaining person.”
“She didn’t tell you what she is doing, did she?”
“To be sure: she’s going to Lyon, in order not to stay in Paris.”
“The deuce! if that’s her only motive, I can understand that she doesn’t care whether she goes there or somewhere else. But why is she leaving Paris? A young woman don’t travel alone like this, just for the pleasure of travelling.”