"What are you two plotting in this little corner?"
"Nothing," said Madame de Bracieux; "we were watching Bijou, who seems to be taming your young friend Bernès."
"Taming him? Whatever do you mean by that?" asked the count, turning round with a disturbed look on his face.
"Well, I mean just what everyone means when they make that remark! A week ago, when the young man dined here with us, he was like an icicle; well, I fancy that the thaw has set in."
"Oh!" exclaimed M. de Clagny, suddenly looking serene again; "I forgot that he has a love affair, and is so far gone that he fully intends to marry this lady-love; and, as you can imagine, his father is not delighted about it, by any means." And then, in an absent-minded way, he added, "I feel perfectly easy, as far as he is concerned!"
"Easy!" exclaimed Madame de Bracieux in astonishment "Why, easy! you would not like Bijou to marry M. de Bernès, then? Why not?"
"Well--she is so young," he stammered out, in a confused sort of way.
"How do you mean, so young? She is quite old enough to marry; she will be twenty-two in November, Bijou!"
"Well, then, Hubert is too young for her; he is only a lad!"
"I should certainly prefer seeing her married to a man rather more settled down; but, if she should care for him, he is of good family, and is wealthy, why should she not marry him as well as any other?"
"Do you really think that Bijou cares for him?" asked M. de Clagny anxiously.
"I don't know anything about it at all," answered the marchioness, laughing; "but anyhow, what can that matter to you? I can understand that Jean or Henry should be disturbed in their minds--but you?" As he did not reply, she went on: "It's a case of the dog in the manger: he does not want the bone himself, but he does not want the others to have it either. That is just your case, my poor friend, for, I presume, you have no idea of marrying Bijou yourself?"
He answered in a joking way, but there was a troubled look on his face.
"Oh, as to me, it is an idea that I should like very much; but she would not; therefore it amounts to the same thing!"
Bijou came up to them just at that moment, gliding along with her light step. She was followed by young Bernès, who looked vexed about something.