“If it’s to repeat what you said yesterday, I assure you it isn’t worth while to begin the conversation.” “Are you afraid that I am going to talk of love?--You have a way of saying things that is far from encouraging!” “Mon Dieu! I don’t choose my words; I say just what I think.” “A woman who says what she thinks! do you know that they are very rare?” “I say, do you know that you ain’t very complimentary to women? Have they caught you very often?” “That isn’t what I meant. Look you, Violette, I admit that I did wrong yesterday; I spoke to you as if I were certain that you loved me, and you hadn’t given me any right to do it.” “Just as soon as you admit that you did wrong, that’s the end of it, it’s all forgotten. Let’s talk about something else.” “It isn’t that my feeling for you has changed; on the contrary, I adore you more than ever!” “I say--it seems to me you’re beginning yesterday’s song again!” “No; yesterday I made certain propositions that displeased you.” “Pardi! they were very pretty, your propositions! to dine with monsieur at a restaurant! to offer to furnish lodgings for me! Why on earth don’t you marry me and be done with it?” “That might have come in time!” “Yes, in the thirteenth arrondissement! But I prefer the other twelve. As for furniture, I have some, monsieur, and it’s my very own; Mère Gazon left it to me; it ain’t violet wood, to be sure, but it’s good enough for me; and besides, I think a great deal of it, in memory of the one who gave it to me.” “All that is very praiseworthy, no doubt; but I don’t think that there’s anything wrong in trying to improve one’s position, to make a fortune; that’s the object of all who haven’t money, and no one has ever blamed them.” “Make a fortune! To be sure, that ain’t unpleasant, that is, if you do it by honest means! If not, one had better stay in one’s little corner.” “Oh! bless my soul! who said anything about ceasing to be honest? What extraordinary creatures these girls are--always thinking that somebody means to lead them astray!” “That’s because we know you, my fine gentlemen; and, if I remember right, you didn’t propose to me yesterday that I should become a _rosière_.”[A] [A] The maiden who wins the rose offered as a prize for virtue in certain villages. “Listen, Violette; I will come straight to the point.” “Well! let us hear what your point is.” “You have been to the play sometimes, of course?” “Why, yes, several times.” “And you like it?” “I should say that I do like it! I think it’s beautiful, and if I was rich, I’d go often.” “And what do you think of the actresses? Don’t you think it must be delightful to appear in public, to be applauded, to wear hundreds of different costumes, and to be stared at and admired by a whole theatre full of people?”