"What! Do you mean that she's coming to join us here?"
"Yes. Oh! I am certain that she'll come. She would not like to drive me to do some crazy thing."
"All right! so much the better, sacrebleu! Let her come, and we'll tell her something. She's a sinner, a flirt."
"But it's Adolphine who's coming, not Fanny."
"Adolphine, the good little sister? Oh! that's a different matter. I will embrace her, I will even make love to her a bit, if she will permit me."
"They are going away, to dress for the ball; but first, I am determined---- Ah! someone is coming--a woman--it's she!"
It was, in fact, the young Adolphine, who ran along the corridor, trembling with distress and emotion, and entered the room, crying:
"What! Monsieur Gustave! you here! Why, in heaven's name, did you come?"
"Because I knew that she was here--and I hope to see her once more."
"Ah! mon Dieu! what madness!--And you, monsieur, you promised to take care of him."
"Why, mademoiselle, I am doing just that; I haven't lost sight of him a moment; and if I hadn't been here, to constantly restrain him, he would have gone twenty times to make trouble at your wedding feast, and to insult the husband."
"No, no, Adolphine; have no fear of that."
"Don't you trust what he says, mademoiselle; he's lost his head; luckily, I am here; I am calm and prudent."
"We came here to dine, mademoiselle, which we had a perfect right to do. For, after all, although a man may not belong to a wedding party, that need not prevent his dining, and dining very well too, I give you my word."
"But I can't stay any longer!--We are going away to dress; I am sure they are waiting for me. What do you want of me, Monsieur Gustave?"
"To beg you to give me an opportunity to speak to your sister once more."
"To Fanny? Why, it isn't possible! Besides, what would you say to her?"
"I will say good-bye to her forever; I will tell her that I hope that she will be happy--although she has wrecked my life."
"But how do you suppose that she can speak to you in secret? she is always surrounded; there's always somebody with us. What would people say? what would they think?"
"If you refuse, I will go and speak to her during the ball."
"Well--no---- Wait here, then; and, when we return from dressing, I will try--I will make her come through this corridor."