"With pleasure, monsieur.--See, is this one big enough?" "Quite big enough; be kind enough to fasten it tight into my buttonhole." "Gladly; there, now it is done, and I promise you that it won't come out.--That is very nice! you look as if you were my true knight now." "And so I am, my child," replied Roncherolle, emphasizing his words, "and I hope to perform the duties of the post." "Why, how solemnly you say that!" "Au revoir, my dear neighbor, au revoir!" The young flower girl looked after Roncherolle, overcome by an emotion which she could not understand, and still murmuring: "How he said that! I will bet that he has some purpose in wearing that bouquet in his buttonhole." Meanwhile, Roncherolle, who did not propose to keep the others waiting, soon arrived at Bonvalet's, where he found the young actress and Saint-Arthur. Mademoiselle Zizi expressed all the pleasure that she felt at renewing her acquaintance with the professor of champagne, and said to him, scrutinizing him from head to foot: "Why, how fine we are! how coquettish we are! we walk almost without limping, and we have such a _chicarde_ air!--you look after yourself, you do, whereas Alfred takes no care of himself at all." "What's that? I take no care of myself?" "No, monsieur; your cravats have been wretchedly tied lately, and your trousers don't fit as tight as they used to." "They are not worn tight now." "If I want you to wear tight ones, why it seems to me that you ought to adopt my taste.--Ah! what a pretty bunch of violets you have there, old fellow! where did you get that, you old Cupid? From some charmer, I will wager!" "It is true that I got them from a charming young girl." "Aha! give us the story; tell us all about it." "I will tell you about it, but not now; at dessert, with your permission; it will have all the more charm." "All right, at dessert it is. By the way, so you wanted to dine with Jericourt, did you? When Alfred told me that, I confess that I was mightily surprised, you agreed so badly the other time. I said to myself: 'There's something underneath this; Monsieur de Roncherolle has invented some practical joke, some farce that he proposes to play on him;' am I right?" "I don't say no; but don't ask any more questions; I am keeping that also in reserve for the dessert." "Well, well! it seems that we shall laugh at dessert." "Yes, yes," said Saint-Arthur with a meaning glance at Roncherolle. "Oh yes! our dinner will be most amusing, and we shall laugh, I trust, at dessert. We shall have some surprises, some unexpected incidents." "What on earth is that idiot talking about? He assumes a mysterious air. Frefred, I have an idea that you have some gallant attention in store for me--is it true, my adored one?" "I can't tell you anything; you will see!" This conversation was interrupted by Jericourt's arrival. That gentleman seemed surprised at sight of Roncherolle; however, he manifested no annoyance, and saluted the party with a smile.