"Why, my dear Bertrand, when the tears are shed by lovely eyes, when the voice comes from a pretty mouth, when the person who pretends to faint displays a charming body, a shapely figure, is it so easy to resist? No, one must surrender--with liberty to repent later."

"That is true. In fact, that's just like me: to find out whether a wine's good, I must taste it; and it's never the bad one that a man does himself harm with. It's a pity that this meeting didn't happen the day before yesterday, before you paid the note for two thousand francs!"

"Let's not think any more about that!"

"No; only let it be a lesson for the future."

"Bertrand, when you meet Madame Saint-Edmond, I desire you to be as polite to her as before!"

"Oh! never fear, monsieur, I'm a Frenchman, and an old soldier knows the respect due to the s.e.x. Parbleu! if one must needs look askance at everybody who hasn't got the countersign, one would have to look cross-eyed too often. At all events, lieutenant, that makes one less, and we shall be able to straighten out our cash-box a little, and----"

"Oh, yes! I am fully determined to settle down. Destival has spoken to me about another excellent investment. I will go to see my notary to-morrow and turn my securities into cash.--Oh! by the way, you will pay a small bill for furniture that will be sent here within a few days."

"Have you been buying furniture, lieutenant?"

"Not for myself, for Virginie."

Bertrand turned away, biting his lips, and struck himself repeated blows on the forehead to keep himself from speaking out and venting his wrath.

Auguste, observing his cashier's ill humor, continued with a smile:

"Come, don't get excited, Bertrand! really, you are getting to be so severe!"

"I, monsieur! I haven't said a word!"

"Deuce take it! I am rich; do you expect me to deny myself all pleasure?"

"I don't expect anything at all, monsieur."

"Ought a man in my position to lead the life of a petty tradesman with an income of twelve hundred francs?"

"We spent forty thousand francs last year, and your income only amounts to fifteen thousand; if we go on that way, we're perfectly certain to be left as naked as little St. John."

"No; I shall succeed in keeping a better proportion between my expenses and my income this year. But this bill is a mere trifle. Poor Virginie!

she's so amusing!"

"Oh, yes! she's amusing enough! but she'd ruin a platoon of contractors!"

"You certainly can't call her voice falsetto."

"No, parbleu! there's no doubt about it's coming from her chest; and she must have a strong one too, for she uses it devilish hard. Thunder and guns! what a chatter!"

"She hasn't any prim ways or affected manners."

"Oh! as far as that goes, I'll admit that she's outspoken! She don't conceal her game, at all events. But all the same, lieutenant, you can scold me if you choose, but I tell you again that these women ought not to occupy every minute of a man's time; and that it makes me feel bad to see that they don't love you as you deserve to be loved; because, at heart, you're a good man, you have lots of good qualities and fine feeling; and all that ought to make you see that it isn't by running after women all the time that--That's all, lieutenant."

Auguste was silent for some time, and Bertrand, surprised to see him so pensive, feared that he had offended him, and dared not open his mouth.

"I believe that you're right, Bertrand," said Auguste at last.

"Really, lieutenant--you agree with me?"

"Yes, I feel that a genuine pa.s.sion, a sincere attachment, must make a man happier than all these momentary fancies. But is it my fault that it is so difficult to find a frank and sincere heart in society?"

"No, certainly not; it isn't your fault."

"Or that coquetry and falsity take the place nowadays of love and friendship?"

"Such subst.i.tutes shouldn't be allowed!"

"Ah! my dear Bertrand, we should be too fortunate if all women were faithful."

"True, we should be too fortunate."

"And yet the whole business of living would be intolerably monotonous then."

"Ah! do you think it would injure business?"

"You see, Bertrand, we must take the world as it is."

"We have no help for that."

"But when I have found a woman who will love me for myself, who will be incapable of deceiving me, who will try to please n.o.body but myself alone, why then----"

"Then, lieutenant?"

"Oh, Bertrand! such a pleasant memory! And it's so long since I thought of her!"

"Who, lieutenant?"

"Lovely Denise, the pretty little milkmaid of Montfermeil. Ah! she is virtuous, I'll swear to that."

"That would be taking a big risk; you hardly know her, and you haven't seen her for two months."

"Do you know why I haven't seen her, Bertrand?"

"Because you forgot her."

"No, it isn't that alone. I have had another reason; you'll laugh, but it is that I am afraid of becoming too fond of that girl."

"In that case, it's very delicate on your part."

"Yes, of course it is; for why should I try to seduce that child, who is virtuous and innocent, and who is living a tranquil life in her village?"

"That would be very wrong, monsieur; there's girls enough willing to be seduced in Paris, without going into the suburbs to look for others."

"Saddle my horse, Bertrand, and saddle the cabriolet horse for yourself; make haste."

"Why, where are we going, monsieur?"