On the morrow of the day that he had passed with Monsieur de Merval, the count in the morning informed his servant that they would go to Paris about noon. Pongo began at once to make his preparations, which consisted, first of all, in stuffing Carabi with cake and bits of meat, in order, he said, that the cat might not commit larceny during his absence and so call for punishment. The mulatto had hardly finished with his friend Carabi, and was about to beat _flonflon_, which was the name he gave to his master's travelling coat, when Georget passed him. "What are you doing there, Pongo?" said the young man, stopping. "Me beat flonflon, Monsieur Georget, me make _flonflon_ very fine and clean; him like to be beaten, for him go to Paris!" "What? are you going to Paris, Pongo?" "Yes, me go with master, he tell me we go soon, at noon; you hear, _flonflon_?--There! oh! you be all clean!" "You say that Monsieur Malberg is going to Paris to-day?" "Yes, Monsieur Georget, with me; he take me, so me put on Mina, my pretty new cap." Georget stayed to hear no more, but set about searching the house for the count; at last he found him seated under a lilac bush, where as usual he seemed to be deep in meditation. "Pray forgive me, monsieur, if I disturb you," said Georget, approaching the count; "but I have just learned that--that monsieur is going to Paris to-day." "Yes, that is true; but what does it matter to you, my boy, so long as I do not take you, as you begged me not to do? Never fear, I don't need you; I shall take nobody but Pongo." "Mon Dieu! monsieur, you see, I have reflected--I have realized that I was wrong to say that to monsieur, for I ought to be at his service, I ought to be always ready to do what he wishes; and then--you see--I had no right to ask monsieur not to take me to Paris when he went there; and that is why--if monsieur would like me to go with him--why I will be ready whenever monsieur says, I won't keep him waiting." The count watched Georget closely while he was speaking, and replied gently: "I thank you, Georget, for the effort that you make to please me, but I tell you again, I will not subject you to such a severe trial; you have a horror of Paris, I know, and I can understand it; you might meet someone there whom you wish never to see again, whom, on the contrary, you wish to forget entirely; I will not expose you to dangers which you are wise enough to avoid. Besides, I have no need of your service in Paris; so calm your fears, my friend, you shall remain here." The poor boy was struck dumb; he did not know what to say; he turned pale and staggered, and at last, finding that he had not the strength to conceal longer what he felt, he fell on his knees in front of Monsieur de Brevanne, stammering in a voice broken by sobs: