"This is not a very amusing conversation!" said Madame Dufournelle in an undertone to her husband; he frowned at his wife, to enjoin silence upon her, whereupon she went to Mademoiselle Eolinde.
"Well!" she said, "what are we to act? have you decided on the plays?
What part are you going to give me? I want a pretty costume."
"You see how co--co--coquettish she is!" said Mademoiselle Glumeau, turning to her mother; "the co--costume is the first th--th--thing she th--thinks of."
"We haven"t yet decided on the whole entertainment," said Madame Glumeau; "we are waiting until our whole troupe has arrived."
"If you need me," said Monsieur Camuzard, "don"t hesitate; I"ll play any small part, or a utility role."
"It"s to be hoped that we shall not need him!" whispered Madame Dufournelle to her husband; "he"s altogether too hideous; he looks like a bird of prey."
"Hush, Eleonore, I beg you."
"My dear love, pray go and attend to what you have to do," said Monsieur Glumeau, looking at his wife. "Our friends will excuse you; they know that the mistress of the house always has orders to give."
"Do go, dear lady; your charming daughter is here to do the honors, you know."
"Since you are good enough to excuse me--I have something to attend to."
"Would you like me to come and help you?" inquired Madame Dufournelle; "dispose of me."
"Oh, no! you are too kind; I don"t need any help for what I have to do; I will return in a moment."
And the mistress of the house was once more on the point of leaving the room, when the door opened again to admit two other guests, a gentleman and a lady, both of mature years, who came forward smiling pleasantly at the company.
"Monsieur and Mademoiselle Mangeot!" exclaimed Madame Glumeau, who was obliged to step back as she curtsied, because the newcomers came straight toward her. "How very good of you to come early!"
"Why, you said five o"clock, and it is just about to strike the hour,"
replied the gentleman, bowing low. "I am as exact as a pendulum; I hurried my sister who, I thought, would never finish arranging her hair; I always dread being late."
"Yes, my brother wanted to ride," said Mademoiselle Mangeot, "but I reminded him that we should arrive sooner on foot than in an omnibus.--Will you allow me to wish you a happy birthday, Monsieur Glumeau?"
And the middle-aged damsel, producing a pretty little bouquet of _pompon_ roses, which she had under her shawl, presented it to Glumeau, who smelt it, making a peculiar face, and replied:
"Really, mademoiselle, you overwhelm me--_pompon_ roses!"
"You are fond of them, I believe?"
"Oh, yes! I am very fond of them--but not too hot."
"What! are there such things as hot bouquets?"
"Oh! I beg pardon, mademoiselle, I made a mistake; I meant to say that it would give me great pleasure to take it now."
"Why, take it then, monsieur; as you see, I am offering it to you for that purpose."
"To be sure--excuse me--I am absent-minded; I do take it--that is to say, yes, I accept these lovely roses."
"You take them awkwardly; you will p.r.i.c.k yourself; you should let me put them in myself."
"Put them where, pray?"
"Why, in your b.u.t.tonhole."
"Sapristi! how annoyed I am that I didn"t bring a bouquet!" repeated stout Dufournelle; and Mademoiselle Eolinde, overhearing him, muttered between her teeth:
"He s--s--says that every year, but he n--n--never brings one."
"My dear Monsieur Glumeau," said Monsieur Mangeot, stepping forward to shake hands with the master of the house, who seemed determined to keep his hands pressed against his abdomen, "pray accept my good wishes also, and may I be able to offer them again a hundred years hence.--That"s not a new idea, but it"s always good!--And the dear boy, the charming Astianax, where is he, pray?"
"I can"t imagine!" said Madame Glumeau; "to think of his not being here yet--to-day of all days! Really, I am beginning to be anxious."
"You know, mamma, that my b--b--brother was going to order a b--b--bouquet full of meaning; no d--d-doubt--no doubt that is what is k--k--keeping him."
"What on earth is a bouquet with a meaning?" inquired Monsieur Camuzard.
"It"s a _selam_, monsieur."
"Ah! and what might a _selam_ be?"
"It"s a bouquet with a meaning."
"Excellent!"
"When a man has a daughter named Polymnie, he ought to be more learned,"
said Madame Dufournelle laughingly to Mademoiselle Mangeot; and she, being a little hard of hearing, replied:
"Yes, I think it will be fine."
Meanwhile Madame Glumeau, noticing her husband"s repeated signals, determined to leave the salon without asking leave of the latest comers.
And fearing that other guests might arrive to detain her, she made her escape by a door leading to her bedroom.
When he saw his wife disappear, Monsieur Glumeau uttered an exclamation of satisfaction which was drowned by the arrival of Monsieur Kingerie, the young man who did whatever anyone desired. He was a little fellow, who always acted as if he were ashamed of himself; on entering the room, he began by blushing to the ears, ran into a chair that was between himself and the master of the house when he attempted to salute him, and as he rose after picking up the chair, he ran his head into Monsieur Glumeau"s stomach. That gentleman uttered a savage oath, while the timid Kingerie, distressed beyond words at what he had done, hastily stepped back and trod on Mademoiselle Mangeot"s foot; and as she was afflicted with corns, she pushed the awkward youth violently away, whereupon he collided with Monsieur Camuzard, causing his spectacles to fall off.
Madame Dufournelle laughed until she cried, saying to her husband:
"Pray stop that gentleman or he will upset the whole company."
They got young Kingerie seated at last; he was at a loss to apologize for his awkwardness and seemed disposed to weep; but, luckily for him, other guests arrived, so that he ceased to monopolize the attention.
First, there was a gentleman of very attractive appearance and with a distinguished air, whom they called Monsieur de Merval; he entered the salon with the ease of manner born of familiarity with good society, saluted one and all without knocking anybody down, and shook hands with Monsieur Glumeau without hitting him in the stomach. Although Monsieur de Merval was no longer a young man, he was still most attractive; which was proved by the fact that when he entered the salon, all the ladies, young and old, drew themselves up, and composed their features and their bearing; you will never see a woman do all that for a man who is not worth the trouble.
Monsieur Glumeau, who seemed to have much consideration for Monsieur de Merval, forgot for a moment the remedy he was awaiting, to say to him some of those courteous phrases which people exchange in society, as we exchange silver for small coins.
"I do not see madame," replied the newcomer, after paying his respects to Mademoiselle Eolinde.
"Mamma will be here d--d--directly; she has g--g--gone to pre--pre----"