"Well, all right; we will go after this piece is over, for I know
the last piece."

"With pleasure; I will go and tell my friend."

"Go, then. Ah," added Prudence, as I was going, "there is the
duke just coming into Marguerite's box."

I looked at him. A man of about seventy had sat down behind her,
and was giving her a bag of sweets, into which she dipped at
once, smiling. Then she held it out toward Prudence, with a
gesture which seemed to say, "Will you have some?"

"No," signalled Prudence.

Marguerite drew back the bag, and, turning, began to talk with
the duke.

It may sound childish to tell you all these details, but
everything relating to Marguerite is so fresh in my memory that I
can not help recalling them now.

I went back to Gaston and told him of the arrangement I had made
for him and for me. He agreed, and we left our stalls to go round
to Mme. Duvernoy's box. We had scarcely opened the door leading
into the stalls when we had to stand aside to allow Marguerite
and the duke to pass. I would have given ten years of my life to
have been in the old man's place.