"She put me off till to-morrow. I have an idea that, before yielding to me, she wanted to know by count if there really was the amount I mentioned in the wallet. She's a cautious damsel; she won't allow herself to be caught very easily! But what difference does it make to me? She will find that I haven't deceived her; and this time she will keep her promise, I am sure." An afternoon and evening are interminable when the next day is to witness the fulfilment of all one's hopes. Monsieur de Mardeille did what he could to kill the time: he called on some friends, dined at a restaurant, looked in at several theatres, went home very late, went to bed, and fell asleep at last, dreaming of Georgette. The so ardently desired day broke at last. Our gallant awoke rather late, and rang for Frontin, who came in on tiptoe. "What time is it, Frontin?" "Nearly ten o'clock, monsieur." "What! you let me sleep so late as this without waking me?" "Wake monsieur! He did not tell me to, and I should never think of taking the liberty!" "No matter! prepare everything for my toilet. You must curl my hair, and take pains with it; I want to be very handsome this morning." "Oh! monsieur always is that!" "Not bad, for a numskull!" "I mean that when a man is rich he is always handsome." "You are talking nonsense now. By the way, Frontin, look out of the dining-room window and tell me if my little neighbor Georgette is at her window." Frontin obeyed; in a moment he returned and said: "It's very extraordinary, monsieur; all the windows are closed in Mamzelle Georgette's rooms, and usually they're all wide open!" "Closed!" repeated Monsieur de Mardeille, with a smile. "Oh! I remember; that's what I asked her to do, yesterday; that proves that she is expecting me. Stupid of me to sleep so late!--Come, Frontin, be quick about my hair." The servant dressed his master's hair in haste. When he had put the finishing touches to it, Monsieur de Mardeille said to him: "Now, go to the sideboard and get some madeira, bordeaux, and champagne, which you will carry to my little neighbor, and tell her that I am at your heels. I will be at her room in five minutes." Frontin disappeared; but he returned before his master had finished dressing; he had two bottles under his arms and the third in his hand, and his face wore a more inane expression than usual. "How is this, imbecile? Haven't you done yet what I told you? Why don't you carry those bottles to Georgette's?" shouted Monsieur de Mardeille. "I beg your pardon, monsieur; I've been there, but I couldn't find anyone. That's why I've come back with my bottles." "Couldn't find anyone! She has gone out to buy something, no doubt.--Couldn't you wait on her landing a minute?" "That is what I thought of doing at first, monsieur; but it was just as well I didn't, for it seems that I should have wasted my time." "Wasted your time? What do you mean? Come, come! explain yourself!"