"You didn't tell me, Monsieur Bertrand, that Monsieur Dalville had company," said the neighbor at last, in a voice which she strove to make as soft as usual, but in which one could detect a note of something resembling anger. "If I had known, I certainly would not have ventured to disturb him." "Does madame want to see Auguste, Bertrand?" inquired Virginie carelessly, smiling with a sly expression. The familiar manner in which the pretty brunette referred to her neighbor seemed to confound Madame Saint-Edmond, who did what she could to conceal her agitation, saying: "Yes, madame, I wish to see Monsieur Dalville." "If it is anything that someone else can say to Auguste, I will undertake to do so, madame." "You are too kind, madame, but I wish to speak to Monsieur Dalville in person." "Ah! I understand. Auguste is already acquainted with madame, I presume?" "Yes, madame, I have the honor of Monsieur Dalville's acquaintance." "As Auguste tells me all his business, I might be able to answer madame, if she cared to explain the purpose of her call." "Am I to understand that madame is now commissioned to receive the persons who may call on Monsieur Dalville?" "That may be, madame." "Monsieur Bertrand, you ought to have told me--to have spared me--But I absolutely insist on speaking to Monsieur Dalville. Let him know that I have just a word to say to him. Then I will leave him at peace with madame." "If I had had a chance to answer sooner, madame, I'd have told you before this that my lieutenant hasn't come home from the ball yet; that's why madame was waiting in the small salon." "Very well! I am going to wait for him too," said the neighbor, whose voice was no longer of the most honeyed kind; and as she passed Bertrand on her way to the salon, she whispered to him: "I don't know who this woman is, but she's very bad style!" Virginie stayed behind in the reception room a moment, to say to Bertrand: "Who's that little jackdaw? Don't lie to me, my little Bertrand, or I'll make a row." "She's a lady who lives in the house." "Aha! lives in the house, does she? That's very convenient! She looks like a regular slut! Has Auguste known her long?" "Why, no; about six weeks." "Does he love her?" "How do you expect me to know that? Do you suppose I ask my lieutenant: 'Do you love So-and-So, or Such-a-One?'" "All right! you're a villain. I can only say that Auguste shows poor taste! She's a homely creature, that woman; she has red rims about her eyes, just like a rabbit's, and she has an ugly mouth, hasn't she, Bertrand?" "Why, I don't think so." "As if you knew anything about it! I tell you that she's a horror, with her princess's airs! Ah! if she expects to impose on me, she's very much mistaken. The sinner, to insist on speaking to Auguste in private! Just to tease her, I'm going to eat some more pie, even if I die of indigestion."