"In that case, why did you not speak to me?"
"You have changed your name and I supposed that you did not wish to be recognized; I respected your incognito."
"If I have changed my name, you must be well aware of the--the reason; you must have learned of what--of what happened to me."
"People say so many things in society, madame, that one never knows what to believe, and in my opinion the man who believes nothing is wisest."
"Ah! monsieur, if one could foresee--could conceive what would happen!"
"Why, there are some things that one can easily foresee."
The baroness cast a penetrating glance at Monsieur de Merval, then rejoined:
"Faith, I am inclined to think that you have done as well to abstain!--Will you not do me the pleasure to come to see me?"
"You do me much honor, madame; and if it will not be indiscreet----"
"Oh! not in the least; I am absolutely my own mistress. We will talk of the past; that will not rejuvenate me, but it will give me pleasure. You will come, won't you?"
"I shall take advantage of your permission, madame."
Madame Dufournelle, who always knew what was taking place in the salon, no matter where she happened to be, whispered to her husband:
"The baroness seems to be talking with Monsieur de Merval a great deal."
"What of that? isn't everybody here talking?"
"It looks to me very much that way; she just put something in his hand--something like a small piece of paper. What can it be?"
"Instead of worrying about that, go and select a part; they are just bringing the books."
"A part. Oh! I mean to have a good one; I don't propose that they shall make me play a supernumerary, or Monsieur Camuzard's sweetheart--it's so agreeable when he speaks to you; he would kill a fly on the wing! And it's of no use to try to get away from it, for he has a mania for talking into your face."
"What do you expect, my dear love? everybody hasn't a perfumed breath."
"No, indeed! I should think not! in fact, it's a sad thing to see how rapidly mankind is degenerating! But there are people who seem to take pleasure in poisoning one. Nowadays, three-fourths of the young men carry about an odor of tobacco, of pipes, of the barracks, that turns the stomach of a person who doesn't smoke; and women, as a general rule, haven't adopted that habit."