Madame Bourdieu, with the keen scent
characteristic of her profession, divined a possible customer in that
inquisitive lady who put such strange questions to her. However, a rather
painful scene took place, for realizing that she could not forever
deceive Madame Angelin with false hopes, Madame Bourdieu decided to tell
the truth--her case was hopeless. Constance, however, at last made a sign
to entreat her to continue deceiving her friend, if only for charity's
sake. The other, therefore, while conducting her visitors to the landing,
spoke a few hopeful words to Madame Angelin: "After all, dear madame,"
said she, "one must never despair. I did wrong to speak as I did just
now. I may yet be mistaken. Come back to see me again."
At this moment Mathieu and Cecile were still on the landing in
conversation with Norine, whose infant had fallen asleep in her arms.
Constance and Madame Angelin were so surprised at finding the farmer of
Chantebled in the company of the two young women that they pretended they
did not see him. All at once, however, Constance, with the help of
memory, recognized Norine, the more readily perhaps as she was now aware
that Mathieu had, ten years previously, acted as her husband's
intermediary.
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