"What do you mean? have who come up?"
"The young ladies. I simply must speak to Thénaïs; I went up to their room at all risks and knocked; no one answered, but, as I came down, I heard your guitar; and knowing that you gave lessons to Mademoiselle Fifine, I thought that they were in your room."
"Alas, no! they are still in the shop; they won’t come up for a good hour at least; it is most annoying to me, for I have something very important to ask Fifine."
"Well! isn’t there any way to let them know that we are here?"
"Oh! if we should go to the shop, they would be angry; it’s expressly forbidden; and then I don’t care to do it myself; when one is in one of the departments of the government, one has to maintain a certain decorum; especially just now, we have to be moral; the rules are very strict on that point."
"We can get the young ladies to come out without going to the shop."
"Faith! it’s an hour since I came in, and began trying to think of a way to do it."
"Wait! I am never at a loss.—There’s no concierge in this house, is there?"
"No."
"So much the better—we can do what we please.—Have you two or three plates?"