“Well! if you can find any singers, men or women, it seems to me that they will not do any harm. You understand, all this for the afternoon.” The next morning, Jasmin started early for Gagny, where he arrived about ten o’clock. First of all, he asked for Chérubin, and Nicole informed him that he had gone to walk with Louise toward Maison Rouge. The old servant was about to go in search of the young people when he met Monsieur Gérondif in the square, and hastened to inform him as to what was to happen during the day. The professor clapped his hands, tossed his new hat in the air, and seemed inclined to cut a caper. _“Tandem! Denique! Ultima cumæi venit jam carminis ætas! Jam nova progenies cœlo demittitur alto!_” “Why no, that isn’t it,” replied Jasmin; “I tell you that the notary and two of his friends are coming.” “Very good! perfect! more than perfect! We must now find my pupil at once.” “I was going to look for him; he is walking with little Louise in the direction of Maison Rouge.” “With little Louise, who is already large. How imprudent it is! It is high time to separate the man from the serpent!” “Did you see a serpent?” “The serpent, my dear Jasmin, is woman, the apple, sin! You don’t seem to understand; I will explain it to you some other day, but now we must find the child at once.” “Especially as those gentlemen requested me to send the little girl away this morning, while they were talking to my master.” “You see, those gentlemen think as I do; they understand that this little girl is now a dangerous companion, most certainly. We will get her out of the way, virtuous Jasmin, we will find a pretext, a subterfuge. Come, take my arm and let us run.” “Run! the devil! that’s very easy to say! However, I’ll try.” “Men run at all ages, worthy Jasmin, and you were built for a runner.” As he spoke, the professor took the old servant’s arm and hurried him away in the direction where they hoped to find Chérubin. As they walked rapidly along, Jasmin asked Monsieur Gérondif: “Have you thought of any excuse for sending the girl away?” “No; have you?” “No, I have not.” “Let us go on, that will come in due time.” That rapid march lasted for three-quarters of an hour. Jasmin could hold out no longer, he was entirely out of breath. But the professor still pulled him along, saying: “_Macte puer! macte animo!_ Our dear Chérubin’s happiness is at stake. Look out, excellent Jasmin, you are stumbling; you are putting your feet in the ruts, in pools of water!” The excellent Jasmin’s breath was exhausted, and he decided to fall in the middle of the road. “I can’t go any farther,” he stammered; “I must get my breath.” But at that moment Monsieur Gérondif glanced at a clump of trees a short distance from the road and exclaimed: “There they are! the little girl is eating apricots; she offers one to my pupil, who stands lost in admiration before his apricot! It is time that we arrived.”