“To be sure,” thought Violette, “that servant told me that his mistress wanted to order a bouquet for a ball to-morrow. I will wait. It isn’t very fine here; it’s pretty enough, but it’s funny that there’s no coquetry, no taste in the arrangement; I should think that I was in a gentleman’s room rather than a lady’s. And that woman who let me in--she’s neither a lady’s maid nor a cook. I believe that I am rather frightened here; I am inclined to go away.” And Violette had already taken several steps toward the door of the salon, when it opened and Jéricourt appeared before her, in dressing-gown and slippers, like a person in his own home. The flower girl uttered a cry; she realized that she had fallen into a trap; but in an instant she recovered her courage, and Violette had an ample store of it; in her case, fright was but temporary. She raised her head therefore and gazed steadfastly at the man before her. Jéricourt assumed one of his most winning smiles and stepped toward the girl. “You didn’t expect to see me, did you, bewitching damsel?” “No, monsieur, I am waiting for a lady, Madame de Belleval; am I in her apartment?” “Madame de Belleval is--is my aunt, dear child, and I live with her.” “Ah! you live here? Well, why doesn’t your aunt come, monsieur? I have no business with you, and if this aunt doesn’t mean to come then I will go about my business.” And Violette took several steps toward the door; but Jéricourt barred her passage and led her back into the salon, saying: “Mon Dieu! how quick you are! Are you in such a great hurry, pray? Take a seat--she is coming.” As she did not choose to disclose her apprehensions, Violette decided to sit down for a moment. Whereupon the young man also took a chair and placed it beside her and very near. “Do you know, charming girl, that I am overjoyed to have a chat with you at last? I have wanted it a long while, and it is so hard to obtain the slightest favor from you!” “Are you going to repeat the same song as on the boulevard, monsieur? I know it already; I have no wish to learn it by heart, for, as I have told you, I don’t like the tune.” “How unkind you are! But this little outburst of anger makes you prettier than ever! Women who surrender at once cease to have any value; whereas your conquest would be a genuine triumph.” “Your aunt doesn’t come, monsieur, so I will go.” “My aunt! Ha! ha! ha! that’s a good one! do you still believe in that, little one?” “What, monsieur, is it a lie? And this Madame de Belleval, who sent to me for this bouquet----” “Never existed except in my imagination. I wanted to decoy you to my rooms, for you refused to come willingly; so I resorted to stratagem. That’s often done--it’s fair fighting.” “Oh! but it’s an outrage!--So the concierge whom I asked for that lady----” “I had warned him that someone would ask for a person of that name, and I ordered him to send her up to me; it’s as simple as good-day.”