“I wanted to put your love and trust to the proof, dear love, and you have come out triumphant from the trial; you are worthy of my affection; I give it to you once more, and more entirely; let me kiss you on the left eye.” Alfred submitted to the caress, smiling at Jéricourt with an expression that seemed to say: “You see how she loves me!”--And the dinner came to an end most amiably; everybody was satisfied. IX THREE FOR A BOUQUET But the result of that dinner was that Jéricourt’s thoughts recurred to Violette, and he said to himself: “They made fun of me to-day on the subject of the flower girl; if I don’t succeed with her, they will do it again. That will injure my reputation; I shall seem as big a donkey as Saint-Arthur. I have gone too far to stop. Besides, the girl is so pretty! I am inclined to think that I love her; I am not quite sure of it, but it may be so. I did not lie when I said that she would outshine Mademoiselle Zizi; she’s worth ten, yes, a hundred Zizis!--I have an idea: suppose I should advise her to go on the stage? she would be a charming actress, and I can find managers enough who will be delighted to bring her out. I will give her lessons and advice.--By Jove! that’s an excellent idea of mine. One of these days I will work it into a vaudeville.--Violette will not hold out against that proposition. The stage! the hope of making a sensation on the boards, the pleasure of appearing in a lot of unusual costumes--those things always fascinate a girl. This one must be as much of a coquette as the others, or she wouldn’t be a woman! She will give way, and I shall triumph. A flower girl turned into an actress--what would there be so surprising in that? We have seen great talents start from much lower down in the scale. And then, when a woman is pretty, it takes so many difficulties out of the way. The thing will go all alone.--I really must make a play out of this idea.” With such thoughts in his mind, Jéricourt came to the Château d’Eau the next day, and he lost no time in accosting the flower girl, who was still looking after the young man who had found it so hard to leave her. “Good-morning, my lovely flower girl.” “Good-morning, monsieur.” “Oh! what a curt tone! I see that you are still angry with me.” “I, monsieur? Why so?” “Why, on account of what I said yesterday.” “Oh! I forgot that long ago! Such things go in at one ear and out at the other; they never stay in my head.” “If they stayed in your heart, that would be better.” “Thank heaven, my heart doesn’t waste any time on such nonsense!” “Mademoiselle Violette, you will not always talk like this, unless nature has given you a heart protected by a triple steel cuirass.” “Oh! I don’t wear a cuirass, monsieur; a corset’s quite enough!--Do you want to buy a bouquet, monsieur?” “In a moment. I have many things to say to you, and I would like to talk with you first.”