Georgette had overheard all this from her room, and it had amused her immensely. Monsieur Frontin, who was on the landing, had stopped there, in order not to lose a word of the altercation and to be able to report it faithfully to his master. When there was no one left in the courtyard, the little Auvergnat having decamped after picking up the piece of quince, the valet returned to the front building and to his master's apartment. He began by attempting to tell him what had just taken place in the courtyard; but Monsieur de Mardeille interrupted him: "I know all about that; I was at my window. I know that Monsieur Renardin sent a box of candied fruit to the little shirtmaker, and that Arthémise, his maid, got possession of the box and ate what was in it. That Arthémise is a bad one, and her master ought to discharge her at once. But when a man submits to be domineered over by his servant, he deserves to have her make a fool of him. However, that doesn't interest me much; this Monsieur Renardin is not a rival to worry about. You have been to see the little one? Well! She was flattered, enchanted by my proposition, of course? When is she coming?" Frontin drew himself up, assumed a solemn expression, and replied: "Mademoiselle Georgette did not seem at all flattered by monsieur's proposition; on the contrary, she put on an air--well, an air as if she was a great swell!" "Cut it short, Frontin!" "Well, monsieur, this shirtmaker doesn't choose to measure you for shirts; do you understand that?" "I understand that you're an idiot, if that's the way you did my errand! I never said a word to you about taking my measure!" "But I supposed that was necessary, monsieur. When a tailor makes you a coat, he takes your measure first." "Enough! What did the girl say? She didn't refuse without giving any reasons, did she?" "She thought it was strange, monsieur, that you are not married. She said: 'Oh! if your master was married, if he had a wife, that would make a difference; I'd go and measure him right away; but I don't go to see bachelors. If he chooses to come to my rooms, I will receive him.'" "Aha! she wants me to go to her! You ought to have begun by telling me that, you clown! I understand--that flatters my young lady's vanity! These girls have so much self-esteem! She wants the whole house to know that Monsieur de Mardeille is paying court to her! Well, I don't care, after all; I will go; but I will go in the evening, because the neighbors aren't at their windows after dark." XI DECLARATION AND OBSTINACY That same evening, Monsieur de Mardeille left his apartment about eight o'clock. It was quite dark, everything was quiet in the house, and he stole noiselessly downstairs and passed the concierge's lodge on tiptoe, unnoticed. Then he walked rapidly across the courtyard and went up to the entresol, where he could see a light.