Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/245

seem to trouble herself about her position. Besides she declares that she will come back to you whenever she chooses, without making any advances and merely for the sake of vexing your friends.”

“Very good,” said Rodolphe, “let her come and we shall see.”

And he began again to pay court to Amélie, who went off to tell everything to Mimi, and to assure her that Rodolphe was very much in love with herself.

“He kissed me again on the hand and the neck; see it is quite red,” said she. “He wants to take me to a dance to-morrow.”

“My dear friend,” said Mimi, rather vexed, “I see what you are driving at, to make me believe that Rodolphe is in love with you and thinks no more about me. But you are wasting your time both with him and me.”

The fact was that Rodolphe only showed himself amiable towards Amélie to get her to call on him the oftener, and to have the opportunity of speaking to her about his mistress. But with a Machiavelism that had perhaps its object, and whilst perceiving very well that Rodolphe still loved Mimi, and that the latter was not indisposed to rejoin him, Amélie strove, by ingeniously inventive reports, to fend off everything that might serve to draw the pair together again.”

The day on which she was to go to the ball Amélie called in the morning to ask Rodolphe whether the engagement still held good.

“Yes,” he replied, “I do not want to miss the opportunity of being the cavalier of the most beautiful woman of the day.”

Amélie assumed the coquettish air that she had put on on the occasion of her solitary appearance at a suburban