When they were almost level with the spot where Denyse was hiding, they pulled up to wait for a horse that they heard galloping quite near them.
"Whatever have you been doing?" asked Henry, as M. de Rueille appeared in sight. "It is quite ten minutes ago since we saw you at the bottom of the Belles-Feuilles road."
"Where is Bijou?" asked M. de Rueille anxiously, without replying to Henry's question.
"She left us in the lurch, and started with the carriages," answered Pierrot contemptuously.
"Ah!" exclaimed Rueille, in a disappointed tone. And then, turning to his brother-in-law, he continued: "What have I been doing? well, I stopped a minute or two to speak to Bernès, who was with his lady-love; she had come in a cab to a quiet spot, where no one would think of meeting her, just for the sake of seeing Bernès for two or three minutes; they cannot go a day without seeing each other. She's a very pretty girl."
"Yes," said Jean de Blaye, "and a sweet little thing too; and she's been well brought up."
"Now that your horse has had a rest, Paul, we had better get on our way, or we shall miss the start."
"Yes," answered M. de Rueille, setting off again; "but we have plenty of time. Bernès is behind me, you know."
As soon as they had gone on some distance, Bijou came out of the brushwood again. Her complexion was wonderfully brilliant, and eyes shone with the deep blue flame which sometimes made their usually gentle expression disconcerting.
Hubert de Bernès stayed a few minutes, after M. de Rueille had left him, talking to Lisette Renaud.
"Well, then, it is settled?" asked the pretty actress. "In spite of the dinner, you will come early to the theatre?"
"But you have a horror of _La Vivandière_,--which I can quite understand--and yet you are going to see it again?"
When Bijou had invited Bernès to come into Madame de Bracieux's box, he had refused, knowing that it would grieve Lisette to see him there.
Mademoiselle de Courtaix was very well known in Pont-sur-Loire, and was greatly admired by society women and those who were not society women. Her costumes were imitated, and her wonderful beauty envied, for it was said that she was quite irresistible. The young lieutenant was perfectly aware that he, too, had been fascinated by her charms the last few days. His affection for Lisette had hitherto rendered him proof against all such fascination. He was passionately fond of the faithful and devoted young actress, who, for the last two years, had loved him so truly, and who would never accept from him any presents but flowers or trifling souvenirs, which were of no pecuniary value.