"And this salmi of partridges, also with truffles. Ah! poor Raymond! do you see his game? he ordered truffles in everything!" The waitress arrived with the rum and the next course. "Good Lord!" exclaimed Agathe; "truffles with champagne sauce! why, he'll kill us with 'em! What is our neighbor eating?" "Chicken, with rice, madame." "Good! that's very nourishing; give him some prunes for dessert; they're an emollient." The girl left us. We enjoyed the truffles, the chicken, and the crabs, whose claws Agathe wanted to send to Raymond. We did not forget the _coup de milieu_; my companion thought a great deal of that, and so did I. With his dinner _de bonne fortune_, that philandering Raymond had put the devil into us; he evidently thought truffles a necessity in his _parties fines_! But, by sending me to take his place with Agathe, he had allotted me a terrific task! "Avenge yourself," she kept saying to me, "avenge yourself, Eugène; you know that Raymond is responsible for our having seen your little vestal leave your rooms; you know, too, that he used to make remarks to the people in the house when I came to see you; you know that by his inquisitiveness and chattering he has made trouble between you and several women. Avenge yourself; still avenge yourself!" What terrible creatures women are when it is a question of vengeance! Agathe still urged me, and yet my spleen was rapidly vanishing. Luckily, the girl brought the dessert. Champagne, fromage à la vanille, biscuits à la rose, gelée au marasquin, and Madame Amphoux's liqueur des Iles. I was lost! Raymond was determined to have my life! "I would like to know what he's doing now," said Agathe; "just go and speak to him." I left the room, and she held the door ajar to listen; I coughed gently at Raymond's door, which he instantly opened. "Well! how far have you got?" he asked. "Oh! everything is going along nicely, very nicely! we are eating dessert." "And Gerville?" "Oh! he's forgotten everything!" "I was afraid that he would make a scene with Agathe. I thought I heard groans and sighs." "They were of repentance and love; and then, she still pretends to be jealous; but I see plainly enough that she is thinking only of you." "Oh! she adores me, my friend; I can't doubt that." "Your dinner is delicious; you do things very well, Monsieur Raymond." "Yes, yes; I ordered it for a purpose! I expected to partake of it with her!" "She knows that you ordered it, and she is just as much obliged to you. I can see in her eyes that she doesn't eat a truffle without thinking of you." "Dear Agathe! But I hear laughter, it seems to me." "Yes, that is she. She laughs with her lips, to deceive him; but the fromage fouetté awaits me; adieu, my friend!" "What! haven't you drunk the champagne yet!" "Not yet." "But you look rather heated." "It's the _coup de milieu_ that gives me that appearance." "Tell me, had I better go away before or after you?"