"Mon Dieu! she's a huge mass of flesh that moves, and that's all," said the marquis. "Yes, yes," assented La Thomassinière, blushing slightly, "she moves, she moves, and, as monsieur le marquis says, she knows how to do nothing else." "What are you laughing at, Monsieur Dalville?" Athalie asked Auguste; "at Mademoiselle Tapotte? You have said nothing about her." "I'll bet that monsieur agrees with me," said the marquis, "and that he sees nothing about her that deserves to be looked at a second time." "He!" rejoined Athalie; "oh! you don't know him, monsieur; he detects charms under round caps and calico dresses." "I don't deny it, madame, and I do not think that it is necessary to wear fine clothes in order to be beautiful. As for your gardener, certainly she has neither pretty features nor a pretty figure; but, for all that, her freshness and bloom, her good-natured appearance----" "Fie, fie, monsieur! fie! hold your tongue! for you are quite capable of perverting these gentlemen. But we have devoted quite enough time to Mademoiselle Tapotte; I hope that monsieur le marquis will do me the honor to come and look at my garden; and if he could be induced to give us this day----" "Madame, I am too pleasantly situated here to summon courage to refuse, and although I am expected to dine with a Bavarian prince, I cannot resist your charms." "I count upon you also, messieurs," said Athalie, addressing her other guests; "you must pass the whole day here. Oh! no refusals! you must do it, or you and I will have a falling-out. I have rooms to give you to-night, and to-morrow morning I will drive you back to Paris in my calèche." "Yes," said La Thomassinière, "as the marquis is to stay, you other gentlemen must stay too. There will be more of us, and it will be more amusing. I have some matters to attend to; but, faith, when one has the honor of having a marquis under one's roof, the devil may take the rest." The young gentlemen attempted to raise some objections on account of their clothes; but the fascinating Athalie once more announced: "I insist upon it!" at the same time bestowing upon them one of the smiles which it is so hard to resist; and that levelled all obstacles. Auguste made no objection at all, being by no means ill pleased to pass a night at Fleury, and smiling already at certain thoughts that passed through his mind. They left the table. La Thomassinière seemed determined not to leave the marquis's side for an instant; but that nobleman offered his arm to Athalie for a stroll about the garden, and La Thomassinière, as he could not take the marquis's other arm, walked on the other side, keeping close at his elbow, and talking constantly to him, although most of the time the marquis made no reply because he preferred to talk with madame. Auguste took a seat in a grotto made of shells, not daring to return to the orchard during the day. The other young men had taken possession of the billiard room.