"But the strongest reason, and the one that finally decided my aunt, is that there isn't any railroad to Romainville." "Surely that must be a great deprivation to a person who, when she is once settled in her country-house, never goes to Paris at all." "And so my aunt bought a house in the opposite direction--at Passy." "Passy and Romainville are not exactly side by side, that is true; and they are not much alike, either." "Oh! they're entirely different!--Aristoloche, do keep still!--Passy's a fashionable, convenient place to live in; you can't go out of the house unless you're dressed up." "That must be very pleasant when one's in the country." "The houses all have polished floors from top to bottom. The one my aunt bought--don't jump about so, Narcisse!--the one my aunt bought is smaller than her house at Romainville; but it cost a lot more. There's no fruit in the garden, but it's ever so much smaller." "What does grow in the garden--ducks?" "There's a little honeysuckle, and ivy, and grass--oh! it's well kept up." "If it satisfies all of you, that's the main point.--Are you going to the country on such a cold day as this?" "Aunt always expects us Saturday, to stay till Monday." "Ah, yes! it is Saturday, isn't it?--just as it was when I met you waiting for an omnibus at Porte Saint-Martin." "But, since then--Aristoloche, if you move again, I'll box your ears!--since then, it seems to me, Monsieur Cherami, that things have improved a little with you--judging by your dress?" "Yes, my dear Madame Capucine; I have collected a little money that was owing me.--Mon Dieu! that reminds me; twenty times I have had it in my mind to look you up and settle that little balance I still owe your husband; but something else has always put it out of my head; it's a mere trifle, to be sure, but I propose to settle it very soon." "Very good! but if you want to see Capucine, there's a very simple way to do it--that is, unless you are engaged for the day." "The day? I can do what I choose with it, I am as free as air." "Then come with us to Passy, to my aunt's; she expects us to breakfast, in fact; we're a little late, and--Narcisse, will you please not pull the feathers of your beautiful Henri IV hat like that; you'll spoil them!" "The old hat makes me squint; it puts my eyes out." "What a bad boy! A hat that your aunt gave you!" "You were saying, my dear Madame Capucine?" "I was asking you to come with us to Aunt Duponceau's; you know her; and to-night, at six o'clock, Capucine will join us there, and you can settle your little account with him. What do you think of my scheme?" Cherami reflected a moment, then replied: "Your scheme hits me--I mean, it suits me perfectly. The company of a charming woman--an improvised trip to the country--this breakfast, which will not detract from the pleasure of the occasion--I am at your service. Let's be off." "Ah! that's very good of you!"