"You are a terrible man with your passages! But, when one is with ladies, one should never use a dead language."
Férulus bowed, and seated himself in a corner of the salon, whence he ogled Jeannette. Robineau resumed his examination.
"Tell me, Benoît, what it was that frightened you?"
"Frightened! Oh! I wasn’t frightened, monseigneur! I was just surprised, that’s all!"
"He is lying like a tooth-puller!" cried Mademoiselle Cheval; "he was so frightened that when he told us about it the next day he was still as pale as a turnip."
"Yes," said Cunette, who was standing behind his comrades, because he had dined and did not feel very firm upon his legs, which fact he was terribly afraid that his master would discover; but which did not prevent his persisting in talking all the time. "Yes, he was frightened! He pretends to be brave, and he hasn’t any marrow in his bones!"
"Hold your tongue, you others, and let Benoît speak.—What was it you saw at night?"
"Monseigneur," said Benoît, "I was at my window because I couldn’t sleep."
"Well, you ought to sleep," said Cunette. Robineau made a threatening gesture and the concierge said no more.
"I happened to look at the old tower, where no one lives, and I saw a light in the windows on top."