"I am listening to you--go on." "When we were all here together at Bracieux, never absent from each other, and you had spent every minute of the long day in Bijou's society, your--let us call it--your admiration increased, of course, and ever since yesterday, ever since your expedition to Pont-sur-Loire, it has been at the acute stage. Am I right?" "Well, yes: you are right." "I am not surprised; but will you explain one thing--one thing which _does_ surprise me?" "What is it?" "Why do you appear to have a special grudge against me? Why against me rather than against your brother-in-law, or young La Balue, or Pierrot's tutor, or even Pierrot himself?" "Well, Henry is nearly Bijou's own age; he was brought up with her, and she looks upon him as a brother exactly. Young La Balue is a regular caricature; the tutor, a poor wretch who does not count; and Pierrot, a lad; whilst you--" "Whilst I?" "Well, as to you, why, you are the sort that women like, and you know that very well; and I can see and feel, and, in short, I know, it is you whom Bijou will care for." "Me? nonsense! she does not deign to pay the very slightest attention to me. I am nothing in her eyes except the man who is breaking in a horse for her, who takes her out boating, or who composes couplets for her play." "In short, you exist more than the others do, anyhow." "But why? It's your fancy to look upon young La Balue as a caricature; but everyone is not of your opinion. As to Giraud--well, he is a very good sort." "Yes, but he is Giraud." "Well, what of that? what difference does that make?" "A good deal; that is, it would be nothing with certain women, but it is everything with others,--and Bijou is one of these others." "Oh--what do you know about it?" "I have studied her for some time without appearing to." "You are studying her, but you do not know her." "Perhaps not!" "If I were in her place I know which one I should choose amongst so many lovers." "Ah! they sing that in _Les Noces de Jeannette_." "Oh! you won't stop me like that! Amongst so many lovers, if I had to choose, it would certainly be Giraud that I should prefer." "An older woman might admire Giraud, because he is handsome--but not a young girl! You see a young girl's one idea is marriage----" "Then, you have no grudge against Giraud, because, according to you, he is not marriageable, consequently, not to be feared." "Precisely!" "Very well, then, and what about me, my dear fellow? Do you think I am marriageable, then? Can you imagine me with my wretched fifteen hundred a year endeavouring to make Bijou happy? Yes, can you just imagine it now?--a house at a hundred a year or so--petroleum lamps, coke fires, etc.--that _would_ be delicious." "And yet you are in love with her?" "Excuse me, I did not say that I was in love with Bijou. I don't really know; all I can say is, that she has taken my fancy tremendously, and that, as I simply cannot marry her, I am wretchedly unhappy."