Denyse and Jean returned just at dinner-time. When they came downstairs, everyone was at the table, and the topic of conversation was the death of poor Lisette Renaud.
M. de Rueille had been out riding, and had met some officers, who were on duty there, and who had, of course, told him the story.
"It is fearful," said Bertrade, "to think of that poor girl killing herself; she was so pretty, and so young."
"It is just because one is young that one would commit suicide, if unhappy; otherwise one would have to go on being wretched for so long a time," said Giraud in a strange voice, which resounded in the spacious dining-room.
THE marchioness decided not to speak to Bijou about M. de Clagny that evening, as she did not want to disturb the young girl's rest.
The following morning, however, she sent for her, and Bijou arrived, gay and lively as usual. She gave a little pout of disappointment when her grandmother informed her that she wished to speak to her about something very serious.
"It concerns one of my greatest friends," began Madame de Bracieux, "and he is also a friend of yours."
"Yes, M. de Clagny. You must have seen that he is very fond of you, haven't you?"
"I am very fond of him, too, very fond of him."
"Exactly, but you care for him as though he were your father, or a delightful old uncle, whilst he does not care for you either as though you were his daughter, or niece; in short, you will be very much astonished--"
"Astonished at what?" asked Bijou timidly.
"At--well, he wants to marry you, that's the long and short of it."
"He, too?" murmured the young girl, looking bewildered.
"What do you mean by 'he, too'?" exclaimed the marchioness, bewildered in her turn; "who else wants to marry you that you say 'he, too '?"
"I ought to have told you all that before, grandmamma," she said, sitting down on a little stool at Madame de Bracieux's feet; "but we have been so dissipated just lately, what with the paper-chase, the theatre, the races, and the dances, that I don't seem to have had a minute, and then, too, it was not very interesting either."
"Well, considering that I don't want to marry either of them."
"Well, but who is it, child, who is it?" asked the marchioness.
"Why, just Henry and Jean. Jean spoke to me first for Henry, who, it seems, had got him to ask me whether I would allow him to ask your permission to marry me. I answered that he ought to have asked _you_ first and not me--"