"Oh! yes, excuse me; Mamzelle Aimee, the oldest one, gave me a letter, which I"ve got here in my pocket."
"Oh! give it to me, quick!"
Monsieur Colinet handed a letter to Georgette, who eagerly seized it, broke the seal, and walked to the window to read it, regardless of her visitors. Thereupon Dupont turned to the new-comer and asked:
"Have you been in Paris before?"
"No, monsieur; this is the first time."
"Do you mean to settle here?"
"Oh! no, monsieur. In fact, I promised mother not to stay more than four days. I"m going home Sat.u.r.day."
This reply caused Dupont most intense satisfaction, for he had begun to fear that he should find the young man at his compatriot"s every day. He continued, with a more amiable air:
"Are you in business?"
"I raise sheep, and my father calves."
"That"s a very fine trade! Our first parents raised cattle, more or less; we content ourselves nowadays with eating them, and that is all the more reprehensible because it"s not the way to multiply the races."
Mademoiselle Georgette finished reading her letter, which seemed to have interested her deeply; as she folded it, she uttered an "at last!" which seemed to say many things.
Dupont, content to know that young Colinet was to remain only a short time in Paris, took his hat and said to his neighbor:
"I leave you with your old friend. You must have many things to say to each other."
"I will not keep you," Georgette replied, with a smile.
"She won"t keep me! parbleu! I can see that for myself!" said Dupont, as he took his leave. "She never does keep me! Oh! this is too long a job!
I am drying up! That young Colinet kissed her more than ten times! It"s high time that my turn should come!"
V
AN INGENUOUS YOUTH
The next afternoon, when Dupont called upon his neighbor, he found Colinet there, apparently no less shy and embarra.s.sed than before, sitting in front of Georgette and watching her work, without a word; but with the air of being perfectly happy simply to look at her.
"Well, Monsieur Colinet," said Dupont, "have you been enjoying yourself?
have you got a little acquainted with Paris?"
"I"ve been to see the animals in the Jardin des Plantes, monsieur; but I like my sheep better than the lions and tigers. I wonder why they give them such fine cages, when my sheep often don"t have any house even."
"Tigers are kept in cages, Monsieur Colinet, because they are vicious and people are afraid of "em. As for your sheep, as they never injure anybody, n.o.body worries about them, and they"re allowed to feed where they will. That"s worth something in itself."
"My sheep don"t always find enough to eat in the fields; but I saw them give great big chunks of meat to your ugly tigers."
"For the very same reason! They"re afraid of "em, so they must keep "em well fed."
"You must go to the play while you"re in Paris, Colinet."
"With you, Mamzelle Georgette?"
"Yes. Monsieur Dupont here will take us both."
"The devil! it seems that I must amuse Monsieur Colinet too," thought Dupont. "But, after all, I prefer that to having her go alone with him."
"Will you take us to the theatre to-night?" Georgette asked Dupont.
"Why, certainly, mademoiselle, with the greatest pleasure! Am I not always at your service, and too happy if I can do anything to please you?"
"Yes, monsieur; I know that you are extremely obliging; but I should dislike to abuse your good nature."
"You cannot put it to the test too often. You know my sentiments for you, for I make no mystery of them; I am your loyal knight!"
Young Colinet stared first at Dupont, then at Georgette, as if he were trying to fathom their meaning. The pretty embroiderer laughed heartily, as she said:
"Then we"ll go to the Cirque-National. They give fairy plays there, with transformation scenes;--you"ll like that, Colinet."
"I"ll go wherever you say, Mamzelle Georgette."
"It"s strange," thought Dupont, "that she addresses this young man _thou_, while he uses _you_. After all, that"s better than if it was the other way."
That evening, he escorted Mademoiselle Georgette and young Colinet to the theatre of the Circus on Boulevard du Temple. I do not need to tell you that the numerous theatres that imparted so much animation to that boulevard were not then demolished. The play was a fairy extravaganza, a mixture of dancing and marvellous exploits, with frequent changes of scenery. The rather scant costumes of the female dancers made Colinet lower his eyes; sometimes he even turned his head away just when most of the spectators had their opera gla.s.ses fastened on the forms of those ladies.
"Well, well! what are you thinking about?" Dupont would exclaim, nudging the young man; "you look away at the most delicious moment!"
"I"m afraid of offending those ladies, if I look at them when they lift their legs in our direction," Colinet would reply, with a blush.
"Poor fellow! he certainly isn"t dangerous!" was Dupont"s conclusion.
"Still, my pretty embroiderer pays no attention to anyone else. When I speak to her, she hardly answers me, she doesn"t seem to listen. I long for the time when her childhood"s friend will return to his sheep."
Dupont"s wishes were soon gratified. On the Sat.u.r.day Colinet said farewell to Georgette, who gave him two letters for her sisters and kisses for her parents. The young man took charge of them all, and went away sadly enough.
"Why don"t you come back with me?" he asked Georgette. "I should be so happy to take you back to the province! Do you enjoy yourself so very much in Paris, mamzelle?"
"It isn"t that I enjoy myself so much, Colinet; but I must stay here--I must!"
"And will you have to stay long?"
"I don"t know; we will hope not. But I promise you, Colinet, that the day that takes me back to my parents will be the happiest day in my life."
"And in mine too, mamzelle."
"Really, Colinet? then you have much--friendship for me?"