And he again leant over towards Gilberte.
She rose from her seat at the first words. Mme. de la Vaudraye came running up to her:
"I am sure that that scapegrace of a Simare is saying all sorts of things that he shouldn't."
She drew her aside:
"Be careful with him, my child," she said. "I can see through his designs: he is trying to compromise you. He is head over ears in debt and hunting for a fortune. ... But haven't you seen Guillaume? Wait for me here, I'll bring him to you."
Simare came up to Gilberte:
"I must apologize to you, madame; I shocked you just now."
"No, no," stammered Gilberte, driven to her wits' end by this persistency, "only I thought I ought not to ..."
He interrupted her:
"It was I who ought not. I couldn't help it: I was talking, talking a little at random,
