headache or a heartache in his life."

Edouard, aged twenty, and a male, did not comprehend this piece of
feminine logic one bit: and, while he puzzled over it in silence,
Jacintha went on to say that if she were to fill her egotist's paunch,
she should never know whether he came to Beaurepaire for her, or
himself. "Now, Dard," she added, "is no beauty, monsieur; why, he is
three inches shorter than I am."

"You are joking! he looks a foot," said Edouard.

"He is no scholar neither, and I have had to wipe up many a sneer and
many a sarcasm on his account; but up to now I have always been able
to reply that this five feet one of egotism loves me sincerely; and the
moment I doubt this, I give him the sack,--poor little fellow!"

"In a word," said Riviere, a little impatiently, "the family at
Beaurepaire are not in such straits as he pretends?"

"Monsieur, do I look like one starved?"

"By Jove, no! by Ceres, I mean."

"Are my young mistresses wan, and thin?"

"Treason! blasphemy! ah, no! By Venus and Hebe, no!"

Jacintha smiled at this enthusiastic denial, and also because her sex is
apt to smile when words are used they do not understand.