"She is exacting; she doesn't choose to go about with every _gamin!_ She wants to make the acquaintance of a _comme il faut_ man. All the chances are in my favor." Mademoiselle Georgette had resumed her embroidery, looking out of the corner of her eye to see how her visitor bore himself. He looked at her work and exclaimed: "Mademoiselle, you embroider superbly." "Do you think so, monsieur? Are you a connoisseur?" "Yes, my wi--my sister used to embroider." "Is she in America?" "Yes, she remained there." "It's not surprising, monsieur, that I know how to embroider well, for I come from a province renowned for its embroideries. The very best of that sort of work is done at Nancy." "And you are from Nancy?" "No; but Toul is quite near. Well! do you really want some handkerchiefs embroidered?" Dupont began to laugh, and replied: "Faith! no; and since you have so shrewdly guessed that I came here solely in the hope of making your acquaintance, shall I be so fortunate, mademoiselle, as to have your permission to cultivate it--to come again to see you--and perhaps to offer you my arm sometimes and take you to the play or to walk?" Mademoiselle Georgette reflected a few moments, gazed earnestly at Dupont, and said at last: "You have not lied to me in what you have told me about yourself? You are really a widower and free?" "No, mademoiselle, I have not lied to you," Dupont replied unhesitatingly. "In that case, monsieur, come to see me; I am willing." "Ah! mademoiselle, you make me the happiest of men!" "But you must not make your visits too long; that might compromise me." Dupont rose, bowed to the young woman, and took his leave, saying to himself: "She is mine! It may perhaps take longer than I should have liked, but it's only a question of time now. She is mine! and I haven't the slightest desire to sleep." IV YOUNG COLINET A fortnight had passed. Dupont called very frequently on his neighbor, of whom he was more enamored than ever; for to the charms of her person Mademoiselle Georgette added wit, high spirits, and entertaining conversation. Less than these were enough to turn the head of our provincial, who lost his appetite, and slept no more than two hours in succession during the night, because his love was in no degree satisfied, and his desires augmented with the presence of her who gave birth to them. But he was no further advanced in that direction than on the first day. If he took the girl's hand, she laughingly withdrew it; if he tried to kiss her, she pushed him away without ceremony; if he ventured to place his hand on her knee, or tried to put his arm about her waist, she assumed a severe expression and said to him in a very decided tone: "If you don't stop that, I'll turn you out and never admit you again!" Thereupon Dupont was fain to cease his audacious experiments, and said to himself again as he went away: