"Oh! I don't go into all those details," replied Monsieur de Merval, as he took from his wallet a five-hundred-franc note and laid it on the table. "I am only paying an old debt which I had on my conscience, and surely an old friend like you would not prevent me from accomplishing that duty.--Adieu, madame, I am obliged to leave you; pray receive the homage of my respect."
Monsieur de Merval kissed the baroness's hand and hurried out of the room; as he passed through the reception room, he saw a man pacing the floor with his hat on his head, paying no heed to Mademoiselle Lizida's entreaties.
This personage stared in an impertinent fashion at the gentleman going out; but Monsieur de Merval paid little heed to him; he was pleased to have put his old friend in a position to get rid of her visitor.
Madame de Grangeville had not been deceived by the little fable invented by Monsieur de Merval in order to oblige her; she had said to herself:
"That was very nice on his part; it was a very delicate proceeding; but after all, he is rich; he guessed that I needed money, and he has lent me some; it's a simple matter.--Lizida! Lizida!"
The lady's maid hurried into the room, and was stupefied when her mistress handed her a bank note.
"O madame! five hundred francs! How lovely!"
"Your dressmaker's husband; he demands the total of the bill, one hundred and twenty-three francs!"
"There's no help for it; his wife works beautifully, and I always need her. Go, and bring back a coupé when you come; I will go out to buy a hat."
"Yes, madame.--By the way, what about the grocer opposite?"
"Give him ten francs on account, that is quite enough."
Everything was made ready at Monsieur Glumeau's country house for the festivities which he had announced long before to his friends and acquaintances. The day was fixed, the invitations issued. They had invited four times as many people as the house could hold; but in default of the house there was a garden, and over and above the garden there was a wood of about two acres; the guests who could not find room in the house had their choice between the wood and the garden; in the country there is always some way to arrange matters.
Monsieur Glumeau's country house was nevertheless quite large and very well arranged. The garden was attractive and well filled with flowers; but the most attractive part of the whole estate was the little wood. Unfortunately it did not adjoin the garden; it was separated from it by a narrow path, not more than ten feet wide, which was open to the public. But the garden gate was opposite the gate leading into the wood, and the path was so quickly crossed that the separation was hardly noticeable. The one thing that the estate lacked was water; but pending the time when a river should appear, Monsieur Glumeau had had made behind his theatre a small basin, of about the capacity of two casks, in which one might at need have taken a foot bath.