Gilberte had not been to Mme. de la Vaudraye's, Adèle came back from the town all out of breath:
"Oh, ma'am, here's a nice to do! Yesterday, at Mme. de la Vaudraye's evening, young M. Simare ..."
"I thought he was away," said Gilberte, interrupting her.
"He is back; and, last evening, he and M. Guillaume, during the duet from Mireille, had some words in a corner ... they were heard quarrelling. ... It seems that the elder M. Simare told a story that wasn't quite proper and M. Guillaume went for the son about it."
"Oh, it's all my fault!" said Gilberte to herself, feeling certain that Guillaume had taken the first opportunity to bring about a rupture.
And she asked:
"Is that all?"
"Yes. Mme. Duval saw two officers ringing at the Simares' house just now and she
