"Yes, monsieur. Ah! it is Monsieur Tobie Pigeonnier! I did not recognize you at first--it is getting quite dark." "I recognized you at once, madame; but you have one of those figures which it is impossible to mistake, and which attract one's eye instantly." "You are too gallant, monsieur; but I beg your pardon--I am looking for somebody, and I am afraid----" "Do not look for him, it is useless; he will not come--at least, not at this moment." "What! what do you mean?" "That I come from Albert Vermoncey, my intimate friend, who is prevented by important business from joining you just yet." "What do you say? he has told you--why, that is very indiscreet on Monsieur Albert's part. Really, men are a hundred times more garrulous than women!" "That is true! O mon Dieu! how true it is!" "I trust that you do not believe----" "I believe only that Albert is very fortunate when he is with you." "That is too kind of you! but what did he tell you to say to me?" "To offer a thousand excuses--and then, to escort you to a place where he will join us--a little later." "Ah! he will join us--and he has sent you to keep me company?" "If you will be good enough to accept the substitution." "This seems to me rather inconsiderate on Monsieur Albert's part. I don't know if I ought to believe you." "Here's a letter which he gave me for you, so that you might have full confidence in me." Madame Plays took the letter, opened it, recognized Albert's signature, and tried to read it; but it was too dark, so she folded the letter and put it in her bosom, saying: "I will read it later; but I see that Albert did really send you to me. What a harebrained performance! it is characteristic of him! Well, where are we to wait for him?" "I will escort you. Will you deign to accept my arm?" "I must. Oh! this is too absurd; but I can't help laughing at the idea. Ha! ha! what a madman that Albert is!" Madame Plays took Tobie's arm, and leaned heavily upon it, because it tired her to walk; but her cavalier did not complain; he mistook for a tender pressure what was simply the result of the lady's embonpoint, and, in his turn, he began thus early to press amorously to his side the arm that was passed through his. Pigeonnier led Madame Plays toward the Champs-Élysées. He knew that he would find in that direction an abundance of restaurants with private dining-rooms. It was so late, that the lady had surely dined; and he was not sorry for that, because he would have to regale her with ices or punch only, which were much less expensive; he had already considered all these little details. He preferred not to spend the twelve francs he had obtained on his coat, for he wanted to keep something with which to play bouillotte, hoping to win enough at that game to pay for his share of the dinner. "Are you taking me to the Circus?" asked Madame Plays, when she saw that they were going toward the Champs-Élysées.