“Monsieur le marquis is very well indeed,” replied Gérondif, still ogling Louise. “You ask why he doesn’t come to see you? Why, my dear Madame Frimousset, it’s plain that you know nothing of life in Paris, and especially the life led by a young man in fashionable society! My pupil hasn’t a moment to himself: in the morning he fences, rides horseback, dances, sings and boxes; why, he hardly has time for his meals. Then he has to go into society--theatres, concerts, balls! How in the devil do you expect him to find a moment to come to this village? It’s impossible! Even I had infinite difficulty in making the trip to-day; I was obliged to hurry my breakfast, and I don’t like to eat fast.” “So we shan’t see him any more?” murmured Louise, whose heart had grown heavy again, and whose eyes were filled with tears. “I do not say that, adorable lass! but I say that you must be sensible and not expect monsieur le marquis to interrupt his important occupations for you.” “Oh! I don’t expect anything! We’d have gone to Paris again to see him, but they always tell us he’s away.” “Don’t come to Paris, you will simply waste your time; how do you expect to catch a young man on the wing who has five hundred things to do in the day?” “Five hundred things! Bless my soul! but the poor boy must get all tired out!” “As if he went on foot! He’s always in a carriage or on horseback; and he rides at full speed.” “And he can’t come as far as this!” said Louise, with a profound sigh. “And those lovely ladies who dance so well--he goes to see them, of course?” “The ballet dancers! fie, fie! What about morals! We used those mountebanks just as we use the magnet to attract a lot of things; but afterward--_retro, Satanas_!” “But I hope he still thinks of us!” said Nicole. “The proof that he thinks of you, Dame Nicole, is that he has instructed me to hand you this; for he wants you to be happy and to have everything you need. And he’s very generous, is my pupil. Here, take it; there’s a thousand francs in it. That’s a very pretty sum.” As he spoke, Monsieur Gérondif handed Nicole a bag of money. She took it, exclaiming: “A thousand francs! Oh! that’s too much, a thousand francs. It’s a handsome present, but if I could have given him a kiss at the same time, I’d have enjoyed it much better.” Jacquinot, who had just waked up, looked at the bag of money and muttered sleepily: “A thousand francs! How many casks does that make at six sous the litre?” “And didn’t he give you anything for me, monsieur?” inquired Louise. But in a moment she added hastily: “Oh! it’s not a present, it’s not money that I mean; but a kind word, a remembrance, a word to show me that he hasn’t forgotten me. Pray try to remember, monsieur.” Monsieur Gérondif scratched his nose and replied: “No, my sweet girl, the marquis gave me no message for you in particular, but he told me to wish you all the best of health.”