Madame put her foot down; she
showed unsuspected commercial aptitude. She firmly forbade Dupont to do
anything of the sort!
"'What?' she exclaimed. 'You will telegraph to her, inquiring? Never in
this life! You might as well advise her frankly not to come. What would
such a question mean? That you do not think the place is good enough
for her! Well, if _you_ do not think so, neither will _she_--
she will decide that she had a foolish impulse and stay away!
"'Mon Dieu! do you dream that a woman accustomed to the Cafe de Paris
would choose to sup in an obscure little restaurant like ours?' said
Dupont, fuming. 'Do you dream that I am going to buy partridges, and
peaches, and wines, and heaven knows what other delicacies, in the
dark? Do you dream that I am going to ruin myself while every instinct
in me protests? It would be the act of a madman!'
"'My little cabbage,' returned madame, 'we are so near to ruin as we
are, that a step nearer is of small importance. If Little-Flower-of-
the-Wood should come, it might be the turning-point in our fortunes--
people would hear of it, the Bon Vieux Temps might become renowned.
Yes, we shall buy partridges, and peaches--and bonbons, and flowers
also, and we shall hire a piano! And if our good angel should indeed
send her to us, I swear she shall pass as pleasant an evening as if she
had gone to Maxim's or the Abbaye!
"Bien! She convinced him.
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