Rosette rattled all this off almost without drawing a breath. We laughed at her story, and she was well pleased with her successful performance.

"But, by the way, Monsieur Charles, all that don't make me forget that you're going to take me into the country to dinner. And while we're on that subject—I've got an idea, and I'll tell you what it is; I tell all my ideas. Suppose we all four go and dine together, as we're in a mood for laughing; we'll have some sport and talk nonsense—what do you say?"

Rosette's proposition seemed to me so extraordinary that I had not as yet thought of any fitting reply, when, to my amazement, FrÉdÉrique exclaimed:

"For my part, I agree. I am at liberty, and, on my word, I shall not be sorry to have a little sport, especially as I got out of the way of it long ago."

"Ah! you're fine, you are! I love you with all my heart, now!" said Rosette, slapping FrÉdÉrique on the back. "And you, Monsieur Larose, why don't you say something?"

"I?" said Balloquet; "if you mean what you say, I'm game; nothing would suit me better."

"Do I mean it! I hope you don't think we're going to dine on air, do you? Well, my dear friend, don't you think my plan's a good one? you don't seem enchanted with it!"

"I? I beg your pardon; I will do whatever you wish."

"But," said FrÉdÉrique, "Rochebrune would have preferred to dine alone with you, mademoiselle."

"Ouiche!" cried Rosette; "as if we hadn't time enough to see each other! Come, is it settled?"

"It is settled, agreed, decided."

"Let's start, then; it's after two o'clock already."

"Go and call a cab, Pomponne, and we'll keep it the rest of the day."

"Ah! what chic! There's only one thing that annoys me now; and that will spoil my enjoyment at dinner."

"What's that?"

"If monsieur le docteur might smell less strong of rose! I should prefer I don't know what to that smell. Try going out in the street and walking in—no matter what!"

"There is a way of satisfying you, Mademoiselle Rosette," I said, walking up to Balloquet.—"Come, Balloquet, we are all friends here; don't be stiff about it, but allow me to offer you another pair of gloves, and take off those you are wearing. I venture to prefer this petition in the name of these ladies' nerves, and in the name of our appetites, which would vanish before this odor of rose."

Balloquet had a noble impulse: he took his gloves off and threw them out of the window. Rosette laughed till she cried.

"Ah! it was the gloves," she cried, "cleansed gloves, of course, of course! But your dealer cheated you; they clean them now so that they don't smell of anything."

Pomponne announced that the cab was waiting. While Mademoiselle Rosette stood before my mirror, busily engaged in putting on her bonnet, I went to FrÉdÉrique, and found an opportunity to say in her ear:

"You are not joking—you are really willing to dine with a grisette?"

"Why not? you are going to, yourself."

"But I am a man."

"Well! I am one of your male friends. Don't men sometimes take their friends with them on a pleasure party? But if it will annoy you too much, I will not go."

"Oh! do not think that, madame! But I was afraid—I thought——"

I had no time to say any more; Rosette came toward us, saying:

"The cab's waiting; shall we go?"

"Let us go," FrÉdÉrique replied.

I was embarrassed for a moment; I intended to offer my arm to Madame Dauberny, but she had already accepted Balloquet's, and Rosette took possession of mine.

"Come on, monsieur! What on earth's the matter with you to-day? Since you've seen my aunts, you're very absent-minded!"

We entered the cab. Rosette insisted that I should sit opposite her. I obeyed. It seemed strange not to desire that arrangement, but I should have preferred to be facing FrÉdÉrique.

The cabman asked us where we were going. We looked at each other and said:

"Ah! that's so; where are we going?"

"Let the ladies decide."

"It makes absolutely no difference to me," said FrÉdÉrique.

"In that case," said Rosette, "I propose Saint-MandÉ; if we want to go as far as Saint-Maur, I know a delicious little walk; you only have to go up a little way and then down."

"Saint-MandÉ it is!"

We started. Rosette was in insanely high spirits. According to her habit, she said whatever came into her head, and sometimes her reflections were very comical. FrÉdÉrique also seemed to be in an amiable humor. Balloquet rivalled Rosette in gayety; I thought that I could detect a purpose on his part to play the gallant with Madame Dauberny. I cannot say why I considered that very idiotic of him. Surely she was an exceedingly attractive woman! And why should not he, a devoted admirer of the sex, try to please her? But Madame Dauberny would never listen to Balloquet. While I said that to myself, I was conscious of a feeling of irritation. Had I any right to take it amiss that Balloquet should make love to FrÉdÉrique, to whom I was nothing more than a friend?

It followed that I was the only one of the party who was not hilarious. Rosette, noticing it, said to me from time to time:

"I say, my dear man, what's the matter with you, anyway? We are all talking and laughing—you're the only one who don't say anything. Can it be that you are really cracked over one of my aunts?—You must excuse him, madame, for he met my seven aunts yesterday, and that's quite enough to destroy his peace of mind."

I excused myself as best I could; I tried to laugh, but I made rather a failure of it; and the thing that vexed me most of all was that the more serious I became, the more Madame Dauberny laughed and jested. She held her own with Rosette in nonsense and droll remarks. Balloquet seemed enchanted; he became more and more attentive to his vis-À-vis, whose witty sallies completed the fascination begun by her beauty. For my part, I did not enjoy myself at all.

At last we arrived at Saint-MandÉ, and left the cab at the gate leading into the wood. We went at once to Grue's, to order our dinner and engage a private room; then we strolled away in the direction of Saint-Maur.

Balloquet took possession once more of FrÉdÉrique's arm, which she laughingly accorded to him. It seemed to me that she laughed very freely with him. Rosette took my arm.

"Is it the habit to walk arm in arm in the country?" I asked, in an indifferent tone. "I thought that everyone walked—or ran, on his own account."

"For my part, I am very happy to be madame's escort," said Balloquet, with a smile.

"Do you mean that it's a bore to you to give me your arm?" asked Rosette, pinching me till I was black and blue.

"O mademoiselle! the idea!"

"What's that—mademoiselle? Call me mademoiselle again, and see what happens!"

"Mon Dieu! Rosette, you get angry about nothing!"

"About nothing! I want you to thou me! Let's not walk so fast."

"But the others are away ahead."

"Well! we shall overtake them in time. Don't be afraid of losing your way with me, you ugly monster!"

"When people go out together, it's for the purpose of being together."

"Oh! how mad you make me! I suppose we ought all to tie ourselves together, for fear of losing each other, eh? Besides, how do you know that they are not just as well pleased not to have us on their heels?"

"Why so?"

"Why so is delicious! If you can't see that your friend's making soft eyes at that lady, you must be near-sighted."

"Do you think so? He won't get ahead very fast."

"What do you know about it? Oh! these men! such conceit! Because she wouldn't have you, perhaps, you think she won't have anybody!—Let's not walk so fast!"

"That lady is very willing to laugh and jest; but with her it isn't safe to——"

"Ta! ta! ta! Bless my soul! she's a goddess, perhaps, and we must offer sacrifices to her!—Come, kiss me!"

"O Rosette! can you think of such a thing?"

"Yes, I do think of such a thing; kiss me at once!"

"Suppose the others should turn and see us—what should we look like?"

"We should look like two people kissing. What harm is there in that? Don't they know that you're my lover and I'm your mistress?"

"That's no reason. There is such a thing as propriety."

"Oh! I have no patience with you! Kiss me quick, or I'll shriek!"

I kissed her. Luckily, the others did not turn. I dropped my companion's arm on the pretext of looking for violets, and overtook our friends.

"What makes you walk so fast?" I asked Balloquet; "if you prefer not to stay with us, that's a different matter; but it isn't very sociable."

FrÉdÉrique burst out laughing, and Balloquet made signs to me which I considered foolish.

"See how the kindest intentions are sometimes misinterpreted," said FrÉdÉrique; "we thought that we were doing you a favor, by arranging a tÊte-À-tÊte for you with your pretty brunette."

"Oh! madame, you carry your kindness too far."

"So far as I am concerned," said Balloquet, "you needn't thank me; in remaining with madame, I acted entirely in my own interest."

Then he came close to me and whispered:

"My friend, she is adorable! Wit to the tips of her finger-nails; fine figure, lovely eyes, distinguished face, original disposition! I can't understand why you've never been in love with her. For my part, I'm caught; I'm in for it!"

"You are making a mistake; you'll waste your time."

"Why so? nobody knows! She laughs heartily at what I say."

"Well! what about that bunch of violets?" asked Rosette, as she joined us.

"I didn't find anything but dandelions and coltsfoot."

"Thanks! then you can keep your bouquet; I don't want it."

"Suppose we stroll back in the direction of our dinner?" said FrÉdÉrique.

"Yes, madame is right," said Rosette; "especially as walking's very monotonous. I have a lover who's in such low spirits to-day! Imagine, madame, that he's never suggested rolling on the grass with me!"

FrÉdÉrique cast a mocking glance in my direction.

"If my companion had made such a proposition to me," murmured Balloquet, puffing himself up, "I should have accepted with thanks; I would have rolled like an ass."

"Oh! but you're a gallant À la rose, you are! Why, I almost had to force monsieur to kiss me!"

"Oh! what things you say, Rosette!"

"What's that? Don't lovers always kiss? Do you suppose madame thinks that we pass our time whispering in each other's ears?"

Madame Dauberny turned her face away to laugh. I wished that I were heaven knows where. I should certainly remember that excursion to the country.

We returned to the restaurant. There I tried to recover my good humor. In the first place, as the table was round, I was naturally seated between FrÉdÉrique and Rosette—no more with one than with the other. They served us a delicious dinner, with choice wines.

"Good!" said Rosette; "this was well ordered! These gentlemen have distinguished themselves! I give this pomard my esteem."

"Never fear," said Balloquet; "we shall have some ladies' wines too."

"What do you mean by ladies' wines? sweet ones, I suppose?"

"Exactly."

"I warn you that I can't endure your sweet wines, except champagne; and unless madame cares for them——"

"Not at all," said FrÉdÉrique.

"Strike off your sweet wines, then. Bah! they make me sick; I can't drink 'em! But these—just ask Charles how I punish 'em!"

"I should say that it isn't necessary to ask me," I said; "it's self-evident."

"Does that make you cross, my dear boy? Don't you like to have your Rosette hold her own with you to-day? Are you going to be in the sulks at table too? Ah! madame, my aunts have spoiled him, and no mistake; he was much nicer before he went the rounds of them."

Madame Dauberny nudged my knee and whispered:

"Be more agreeable, or she will make a scene with you."

I strove to put myself in harmony with the general merriment. Rosette chattered incessantly; Balloquet sang, with his eyes fixed on FrÉdÉrique; she laughed at my grisette's sallies, and from time to time told us some very amusing anecdotes.

"Ah! if I could tell stories like madame," cried Rosette, "I know what I'd do!"

"What would you do?" asked Balloquet.

"I wouldn't do anything else. I'd tell stories all day, and make them up all night.—Kiss me, Charles!"

"Sapristi! Rosette, are we going to begin that again?"

"Do you hear him, madame? He refuses to kiss me, the villain!"

"Mademoiselle," I said, in a serious tone, "I am sorry to be obliged to inform you that there are occasions when such liberties are permissible, and others when we must abstain from them; you should understand that."

Rosette pushed her chair away from the table, muttering:

"It wasn't worth while to bring me with you, just to say such things as that to me."

With that, she put her hand over her eyes and began to weep. The devil! That was the climax! I was in torment.

FrÉdÉrique tried to console Rosette, and said to me:

"Come, come, monsieur, don't make mademoiselle unhappy; she is right; you choose a very inopportune time to lecture her. Kiss her at once, and make peace with her."

I obeyed; whereupon Balloquet exclaimed:

"Mon Dieu! I would not wait to be asked twice, if someone would allow me to kiss her."

It was extraordinary what an ass the fellow seemed to me to make of himself!

Luckily, with Rosette laughter always followed tears. She speedily forgot her grievance, and thought of nothing but doing honor to the champagne, which made its appearance just then. FrÉdÉrique held her own with her, but did not lose her head. Balloquet, who was deeply impressed by the way in which those two bore themselves at table, tried to surpass them, got very tipsy, and nearly strangled himself pouring down champagne.

"Well done!" said Rosette; "that'll teach you to try to pour down wine like that; it seems to me such a stupid way! What's the use of drinking anything good, if you don't taste it, if you don't get the flavor of it? You throw it down your neck, as if it was a medicine you were afraid of smelling! How sensible that is! You might as well drink cheap claret; it would have the same effect as champagne."

Balloquet succeeded in ceasing to cough, and a moment later, when we were a little quieter than usual, he said to me:

"By the way, Charles, have you had any news of the man of the ring?"

"No, no, I haven't—found him yet. Why don't you drink, Balloquet?"

I was afraid that the young doctor would be guilty of some indiscretion, and I tried to change the subject. But Rosette chimed in:

"What's that? He said something about a ring. There must be a woman in that story, and I want to hear it."

"Yes, mademoiselle, yes; it is a story about a woman."

"But a very sad one," said I, interrupting Balloquet; "this is not at all a fitting time to tell it."

"Why not? I like sad things too; I like plays that make you cry. Oh! Monsieur Larose, do tell us the story."

"With pleasure, mademoiselle!"

I trembled lest Balloquet should disclose what I had concealed from FrÉdÉrique. He did not know that the man of the ring was Monsieur Dauberny; but if he should mention the name Bouqueton, FrÉdÉrique would know at once that the man was her husband. I tried to make signs to Balloquet to hold his peace; but he did not look at me, and began his tale.

FrÉdÉrique said nothing; but she watched us closely and did not lose a word of what the young doctor said. Stammering and hesitating a little, he told poor Annette's story; but he did not mention the assassin's name.

"What a ghastly story!" exclaimed FrÉdÉrique, with a shudder.

"It's horrible!" cried Rosette. "Oh! what an abominable man! But didn't the poor girl tell you his name?"

"Yes, yes," replied Balloquet, "she told us. The devil take the name! Would you believe that I can't remember it?—But you know it, Rochebrune, as you know the man."

"You know that villain, Charles? Oh! but you must have had him arrested, then?"

"No, I could not; we have no evidence."

"But what about that ring that he gave the poor girl?"

"That ring I have at home. I am keeping it carefully; some day, I hope that it will help me—to avenge the poor girl."

"And you won't tell us the man's name?"

"What good would it do? The whole thing is too shocking. The criminal's name had better remain a secret until the victim is avenged."

FrÉdÉrique did not say a word, but she kept her eyes fastened upon me all the while. The time for returning to Paris arrived, and I was not sorry. The story of Annette had saddened Rosette and made FrÉdÉrique very thoughtful. We returned to our cab. Balloquet continued to do the amiable with Madame Dauberny; I verily believe that he asked her permission to call to pay his respects. What a self-sufficient puppy! I did not hear her reply. Rosette pinched me, probably because I was not listening to what she said.

I wanted to take FrÉdÉrique home; Balloquet insisted, on the contrary, that Rosette and I should be set down first. We were on the point of quarrelling. Rosette said nothing, and I thought that she had fallen asleep. Madame Dauberny put an end to our discussion by calling to the cabman to stop on the boulevard. She hastily alighted, bade us adieu, and hurried away. But Balloquet instantly opened the door, crying:

"I won't allow that lady to go away alone; the idea! I am going to escort her!"

I tried to hold him back by seizing his coat tails. I told him that Madame Dauberny did not want his escort, that she preferred to go alone.

He would not listen to me. He leaped out of the cab, tearing off one whole skirt of his coat, and disappeared.

"What's the matter with you to-night, my friend?" said Rosette; "you interfere with everybody; you find fault with whatever we do, and tear people's coats!"

"That doesn't concern you."

"How polite my lover is to-day!"

"To which aunt shall I take you this evening, mademoiselle?"

"Faubourg Saint-Denis, as usual."

"By the way, you haven't told me yet where you were perching yesterday, when I had the kindness—I might well say, the folly—to look for you at all your aunts' lodgings."

"Do you want to make me unhappy?"

"Answer me!"

"I told you that I was with a friend."

"Oh, yes! at the sponge dealer's, perhaps?"

"What an outrage! Instead of saying such things, you would do well to kiss me. It seems that we don't get beyond compliments to-day!"

In truth, she was right; I had rebuked her enough all day; the least I could do was to compensate her at that moment.