"_Monsieur votre père_ does not arrive apparently,
Mademoiselle," he said.

"I have not seen him come in, Monsieur," answered Madelon; "I
thought he was perhaps here."

"Not at all, I have seen nothing of him this evening. But this
is perhaps a trick that Monsieur le Papa is playing me; he
fears to give me his little revenge of which he spoke, and
wishes to keep out of my way. What do you say to that,
Mademoiselle?"

"I am quite sure it is not so," answered Madelon, with a
little defiant air. "I heard papa say it was quite by chance
he had lost all that money to you, for you did not understand
the first principles of the game."

"Ah! he said that? But it is lucky for us other poor devils
that we have these chances sometimes! You will at least admit
that, Mademoiselle?"

"Papa plays better than anyone," says Madelon, retreating from
argument to the safer ground of assertion, and still standing
in the middle of the room in her defiant attitude, with her
hands clasped behind her.

"Without a doubt, Mademoiselle; but then, as he says, we also
have our chances. Well, I cannot wait for mine this evening,
for it is nearly midnight, and I have another appointment.
These gentlemen will wonder what has become of me.