She bit her lip and flushed. “I did not know what I was saying. Perhaps it was impertinent.”

“How could it be, Félise?” he asked, bending across the table. “But if I have changed, is it for the better or the worse?”

“Would you be a waiter here again?”

Martin looked for a second into his soul.

“No,” said he.

“Voilà!” said Félise.

“But I couldn’t tell you why.”

“It’s not necessary,” said Félise.

Bigourdin joined them. The meal ended. Félise went off to her duties. Bigourdin said:

“Let us go and drink our coffee at the Café de l’Univers. Everybody is there, at this hour, the last day or two. We may learn some news.”