"Oho! a party of two, is it?" "Yes, madame." "A man and a woman?" "Yes, madame." "They seem to be even more romantic than we are; they have forgotten about dinner." "Oh! the dinner's all ordered, it's coming up directly. I know their ways; they're regulars." And the waiter left the room, closing at the same moment his mouth and the door, the latter of which he had been holding ajar. "You are very inquisitive," said Auguste, "to want to know how many people there are opposite. What difference does it make to us what others say and do?" "Oh! none at all; but, don't you know, I like to see--it amuses me." "Let us eat and not worry about our neighbors; that will be the better way." "It don't interfere with my eating!--Wait! they're opening the door." And at that moment a man's voice in the corridor called: "Bring up the dinner, waiter." "It's the man calling," said Virginie; "he's got a little soprano voice, but the voice don't prove anything at all." "Will you have some pigeon?" "Do wait a minute; you're hurrying me too much." Just then they heard a woman's voice saying: "My friend, you forgot to order fritters." Auguste gave a jump when he heard that voice; and Virginie, alarmed by his abrupt movement, asked: "Well! what's struck you now? Did you swallow a pigeon wing the wrong way?" "No, nothing's the matter. It was that voice that surprised me; I thought that I recognized----" "Ah, yes! I understand; it is probably some old flame of monsieur who's in yonder room. Well! what then? Do you think that you ought to think about any other woman when you're with me? That's very polite. Does it make any difference to you who the woman's with? Are you still in love with her? If I knew that you were, I'd go and make a row." "Why, no; there's no question of love, but it's because----" "Because, because--You don't know what you're saying. Eat your dinner at once. Why don't you eat?" "I am not hungry any more." "Indeed! monsieur has ceased to be hungry since he heard that lady's voice, which has taken away his appetite. How touching! What are you getting up for? Where are you going?" "I am going downstairs a minute." "I don't want you to leave the room. You don't need to go downstairs. You want to see that woman opposite, that's all; but you shan't see her." As she spoke, Virginie rose too, and planted herself in front of the door. "I assure you, my dear love, that I do need to go down," said Auguste, gently taking Virginie's arm in order to put her away from the door. "My good fellow, I don't care what happens, but you shall not leave this room."