In less than five minutes I was in front of the shop; it was still closed. I was surprised; Nicette was usually such an early bird. Should I wait? should I knock? I stood hesitating in the street, when a messenger passed. It was the same one I had questioned some time before; he recognized me, touched his hat as he passed, and took his seat some twenty yards away. I walked toward him, with no definite idea what I was going to do. The messenger, who was pleased with my conduct on the former occasion, hastened to offer me his services. "I have nothing for you to do, my friend," I said, in a decidedly dismal tone, mechanically putting a five-franc piece in his hand. He stared at me in amazement, and waited for me to speak before he ventured to put the coin in his pocket. I looked toward Nicette's shop and pointed at it. "That flower girl is rather late about opening, it seems to me," I said. "Oh! it's early yet; but still, she's been a bit lazylike for some time. Well, well! it isn't surprising!" "Why so?" "When a woman gets love into her head!" "How do you know? Who told you she was in love?" "Oh! a man don't have to be very sharp to see that kind of thing! you see, I've been on this square twenty year, so I ought to know pretty well what's going on in the quarter." "What do you know about this girl? What have you seen? Answer, and keep nothing back. Here, take this." I felt in my pocket again and put more silver in the messenger's hand, whereat his amazement redoubled and he looked into my face for symptoms of insanity. "You told me that this girl was virtuous and honest, and that she did not speak to anybody, because she preferred not to." "That's true, monsieur, that's true. She's honest enough still; but when a girl's young, she may take a liking for someone, and----" "Explain yourself more clearly! What makes you think that?" "Pardi, monsieur! because I see the fellow come to see her." So Nicette had deceived me! Nicette did not love me! No, I could not believe it. I determined to question the man further. I leaned against the post that adjoined his stone bench; I needed support, for I trembled at the thought of finding my misery confirmed. "You say that you see someone come to her shop?" "Yes, monsieur." "Since when?" "Why, it was about three weeks ago that the man came prowling around here; at first he came in the morning, to buy flowers; then he came at night, just at dusk, and talked a little; then he stayed longer; and it's got so now that he comes almost every night and talks an hour or two with the pretty little flower girl. But I think everything's all straight as yet; the shop door's always open, and unless they meet somewhere else, which is possible enough, for women are sly, and it ain't safe to trust to virtuous airs!----" "What does he look like?"