"Don't mention the fact that you saw Agathe with me to-night."

"A--Agathe! What do you say? Why, you are joking!"

"We have just come from a masquerade; she disguised herself for it, and----"

"Do you mean to say that there are masquerade b.a.l.l.s in July?"

"There are if anyone chooses to give one; this was for somebody's birthday."

"But that girl----"

"She is well disguised, isn't she? I'll bet that you didn't recognize her at the first glance. The costume--the rouge--they change one's whole appearance."

"Faith! I confess that I didn't see even the slightest resemblance."

"I rely on your discretion. To-morrow I will tell you what my motive is; you will laugh with me at the adventure. Au revoir, neighbor; good-night! Allow me to light my candle, now."

"Much pleasure to you, Monsieur Dorsan!"

I left Raymond and returned to my room. My neighbor was not fully persuaded that it was Agathe whom he had seen; but I had at least, by my stratagem, reserved for myself an answer to his gossip; and if he should talk, I could easily persuade people that he was asleep and had not seen things as they were.

"But," you will say, "by that falsehood you destroyed another woman's reputation. Who is this Agathe whom you put forward so inconsiderately?"

This Agathe is my last mistress, with whom I had broken only a short time before; she is a milliner, very lively, very alluring, and very wanton! She had sometimes done me the honor to come to me to ask hospitality for the night; my neighbor had often seen her going in and out of my room, so that once more or less would do her no harm. Her reputation was in no danger, as you see.

Now that I have told you about Mademoiselle Agathe, with whom Monsieur Raymond did not know that I had fallen out, not being in my confidence, I return to Nicette, who is in my apartment, waiting for me. It was half-past one in the morning; but there is time for a great deal between that hour and daybreak! My heart beat fast! Faith! I had no idea what the night would bring to pa.s.s.

V

WHAT THE NIGHT BROUGHT TO Pa.s.s

"What a funny man that is!" said Nicette, as I entered the room with a light. "When I saw that figure, in his shirt, that neckerchief tied with a lover's knot, that big nose, and those surprised eyes, I couldn't keep from laughing."

"I must confess, Mademoiselle Nicette, that you cause me a lot of trouble!"

"Do I, monsieur? Oh! I am so sorry!"

"But here we are in my rooms at last, G.o.d be praised! I don't quite know, though, how you are to go out!"

"Pardine! through the door, as I came."

"That's easy for you to say! However, we will see, when to-morrow comes."

Nicette looked about her. She examined my apartment, my furniture; she followed me into each room; I had only three, by the way: a small reception room, a bedroom, and a study where I worked, or read, or played the piano, or did whatever else I chose.

"Sit down and rest," I said.

"Oh! in a moment, monsieur; you see----"

She glanced at my couch and my easy-chairs; she seemed to be afraid to go near them. I could not help smiling at her embarra.s.sment.

"Doesn't the apartment please you?" I inquired.

"Oh! yes, indeed, monsieur! but it's all so fine and so shiny! I'm afraid of spoiling something."

"You need not be afraid."

I led her to the couch, and almost forced her to sit down by my side.

"I am alone, you see, Nicette; you have come to a bachelor's quarters."

"Oh! I don't care about that, monsieur; at any rate, I didn't have any choice."

"Then you're not afraid to pa.s.s the night with me?"

"No, monsieur; I see that you're an honorable man, and that I needn't be afraid of anything in your rooms."

"Oho! she sees that I am an honorable man!" said I to myself; "in that case, I must have a very captivating countenance. However, I am not ill-looking; some women say that I am rather handsome; and this girl isn't afraid to pa.s.s the night with a good-looking bachelor! Perhaps she thinks me ugly."

These reflections annoyed me; while making them, I looked at Nicette more closely than I had hitherto been able to do. She was really very good-looking; a face at once piquant and sweet, and with some character--absolutely unlike what we ordinarily find in a flower girl: she had the freshness and charm of her flowers, and she was the daughter of a fruit peddler, of Mother Jerome! There are such odd contrasts in nature; however, I could but acknowledge that chance had been very favorable to me this time. I began to be quite reconciled to my evening's entertainment; I forgot the grisette and the _pet.i.te-maitresse_, to think solely of the charming face at my side.

As I gazed at the girl, I had moved nearer to her; I softly pa.s.sed my arm about her waist; and the more favorable the examination, the more tightly I pressed the red gown.

Nicette did not speak, but she seemed agitated; her bosom rose and fell more frequently, her respiration became shorter; she kept her eyes on the floor. Suddenly she extricated herself from my embrace, rose, and asked me, in a trembling voice, where she was to pa.s.s the night.

That question embarra.s.sed me; I admit that I had not yet thought of that. I glanced at Nicette; her lovely eyes were still fastened on the floor. Was she afraid to meet mine? Did she love me already? and---- Nonsense! that infernal self-esteem of mine was off at a gallop!

"We have time enough to think about that, Nicette. Do you feel sleepy?"

"Oh, no! it ain't that, monsieur."

"Ah! so there's another reason, is there?"

"I don't want to be in your way; you told me you was tired, too."

"That has all pa.s.sed away; I have forgotten it."

"Never mind, monsieur; show me where I can pa.s.s the night. I'll go into one of the other rooms. I shall be very comfortable on a chair, and----"

"Pa.s.s the night on a chair! Nonsense! you mustn't think of such a thing!"

"Oh, yes! I ain't hard to suit, monsieur."

"No matter; I shan't consent to that. But sit down, Nicette, there's no hurry now. Come and sit down. Are you afraid to sit beside me?"