"Perhaps she means to return the twelve thousand francs I was stupid enough to give her," he said to himself. And having made a neat parcel of the little black petticoat, he put it in his overcoat pocket and betook himself to the place indicated in the note. After a little time, a third personage appeared on the same path; this was the young Vicomte Edward de Sommerston, who had received a letter of precisely the same tenor as Monsieur de Mardeille's, except that he was requested to bring with him a _white_ petticoat. As our young dandy was not inclined to carry a petticoat in his pocket, he was accompanied by a very diminutive groom, who carried the garment in question under his arm and had an abundant supply of cigarettes in his hand. As these three gentlemen were walking back and forth along the same path, they soon noticed one another. "Anyone would say that those two dandies also have appointments here," said Dupont to himself. "Those two fellows are evidently waiting here for someone," thought the viscount, as he puffed at his cigarette. And Monsieur de Mardeille made a similar reflection as he passed the other two. Before long there was a smart shower. Instantly all the promenaders and monkey fanciers disappeared, except the three gentlemen with the petticoats. They continued to walk to and fro on the same path; and as there was no one else left there save themselves and the little groom, they could not doubt that they were all there by appointment. They began to smile as they passed one another; it was easy to see that they divined one another's motives for being there, and that they had at their tongue's end some such words as: "How tedious this waiting is! Gad! if it weren't for a charming woman, I'd have gone away long ago!" Dupont had been tempted more than once to enter into conversation with his fellow promenaders, but he had not dared. "The time wouldn't seem so long, if I were talking with these gentlemen," he said to himself; "that would divert my thoughts and make it easier to be patient; but perhaps they are not in a mood for talking." Suddenly Edward stopped and drew his watch. Monsieur de Mardeille did the same; whereupon Monsieur Dupont walked up to them, drew his own watch, and ventured to say: "I beg pardon, messieurs, but will you allow me to ask what time you make it? My watch may be a little fast, and I should like to be certain of the time. I say twenty-two minutes past two." "Two twenty-two; that's my time, too," said Monsieur de Mardeille. "Faith! messieurs, we go better than Charles the Fifth's clocks," said the viscount, after consulting his watch; "I agree with you exactly." "Didn't Charles the Fifth's clocks go well?" inquired Dupont.