French girl marries. If she does not, and if she frequents pensions, she is not scandalized at a little mot pour rire."
Miss Baring (without looking up from her knitting). "I am many years older than this young lady, and I am a better French scholar, but I don't understand half your jokes, so certainly she does not; but I am sure you are too chivalrous—all Frenchmen are chivalrous, are they not?—to say what would make us feel uncomfortable, especially this young girl, if we understood it."
Mdme. M. (quickly). "That is quite right, mademoiselle—quite right. Madame Clinchaut and I are old women, and Madame de Belcour is a widow. With us it does not signify; but I am sure the professor and the doctor will understand that they must not frighten away la petite Anglaise."
Mdme. de B. "Especially as she can afford to take two rooms."
Narishkine. "Ah! all the English are rich. Blessed country!"
Genron. "Which offers a refuge to Nihilists and Anarchists. You know it, monsieur?"
Narishkine. "Every enlightened man knows it, monsieur—except Frenchmen, who are ignorant of everything out of their own country."
Mdme. M. (throwing herself into the breach, before it widens). "Ah! it is that channel! If it were not for that channel, even I—moi qui vous parle—would have paid a visit to a dear friend of mine, some years ago, who inhabited le Can—Can—how do you say?—le Cantorbury?"
