Some months after that evening on which the baron gained some hopes of
succeeding with his wife's friend, he found himself one morning at the
house of Madame B-----, when the maid came to announce the Baroness de
V-----.
"Ah!" cried Emilie, "if Louise were to see you with me at such an hour
as this, she would be capable of compromising me. Go into that closet
and don't make the least noise."
The husband, caught like a mouse in a trap, concealed himself in the
closet.
"Good-day, my dear!" said the two women, kissing each other.
"Why are you come so early?" asked Emilie.
"Oh! my dear, cannot you guess? I came to have an understanding with
you!"
"What, a duel?"
"Precisely, my dear. I am not like you, not I! I love my husband and
am jealous of him. You! you are beautiful, charming, you have the
right to be a coquette, you can very well make fun of B-----, to whom
your virtue seems to be of little importance. But as you have plenty
of lovers in society, I beg you that you will leave me my husband. He
is always at your house, and he certainly would not come unless you
were the attraction."
"What a very pretty jacket you have on."
"Do you think so? My maid made it."
"Then I shall get Anastasia to take a lesson from Flore--"
"So, then, my dear, I count on your friendship to refrain from
bringing trouble in my house.
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