"Then it is agreed; we will dine together the day after to-morrow. Yes, two days more, and then I shall be very sure that my parrot won't make a mistake. Just we three will dine together, to laugh as loud as we please, and talk nonsense; and at Bonvalet's as before. You agree, do you not, my dear neighbor? I say 'my dear neighbor' from habit." "Excuse me, my dear Saint-Arthur, your invitation is certainly very kind, but----" "Oh! no buts! Zizi will be so pleased to dine with you again! you can't refuse." "I accept, but on one condition." "Well, what is it? Speak; I agree to it in advance." "Well, it is that your friend, Monsieur Jericourt, shall also be of the party as before." "The deuce! you surprise me! you want Jericourt to be one of us? Why, I thought that you didn't like him." "I say again, if you wish to have me, have that gentleman too; I have a special reason for wishing to meet him." "That makes a difference; in that case, I will invite him; he shall be one of us. I have not seen so much of him lately. He lives in the Chaussee d'Antin. He puts on a lot of airs because he has had a play accepted at the Odeon.--But no matter, he will come." "Don't mention me to him; I fancy that that would make him disinclined to come." "I will mention nothing but the bird to him." "What I ask you will not annoy mademoiselle, I hope?" "Annoy her? why, pray? She will worry Jericourt, and we will laugh at him.--I may rely upon you now, may I not?" "Absolutely." "Until the day after to-morrow then, at half-past five, at Bonvalet's." "I shall not fail you." Saint-Arthur shook Roncherolle's hand and left him; Roncherolle continued his walk, but more slowly, like a person too much engrossed to notice what is going on about him. On the second day thereafter, about five o'clock in the afternoon, Roncherolle, who had taken much pains with his toilet, walked toward the booth of the pretty flower girl of the Chateau d'Eau. Violette greeted her neighbor with a pleasant smile, saying: "Ah! what a pleasure it is to see you like this, monsieur! how well you look! no one would ever suspect that you had been so sick." "If I have recovered my health, it is due to you, my dear child, due to your nursing, to your pleasant company." "Oh! monsieur, you forget that syrup which did you so much good, which cured you." "Perhaps the syrup may have had something to do with it, but you had much more." "Are you going to walk, monsieur? It is cold, but fine." "I am going to dine out, my little neighbor; a feast at Monsieur Bonvalet's, nothing less." "Oh! do be prudent then, monsieur; they say, you know, that with gout you mustn't drink champagne." "But I no longer have the gout." "True, but suppose that should bring it back again?" "We mustn't anticipate misfortunes so far ahead. However, I will be prudent, and in order that I may not forget your advice, I will ask you for a small bunch of violets."