Half an hour later, Monsieur and Madame Latournelle came to fetch
Modeste, who complained of a horrible toothache.
"I really have not had the courage to dress myself," she said.
"Well then," replied the worthy chaperone, "stay at home."
"Oh, no!" said Modeste. "I would rather not. I have bundled myself up,
and I don't think it will do me any harm to go out."
And Mademoiselle Mignon marched off beside Latournelle, refusing to
take his arm lest she should be questioned about the outward trembling
which betrayed her inward agitation at the thought of at last seeing
her great poet. One look, the first,--was it not about to decide her
fate?
CHAPTER XIII
A FULL-LENGTH PORTRAIT OF MONSIEUR DE LA BRIERE
Is there in the life of man a more delightful moment than that of a
first rendezvous? Are the sensations then hidden at the bottom of our
hearts and finding their first expression ever renewed? Can we feel
again the nameless pleasures that we felt when, like Ernest de La
Briere, we looked up our sharpest razors, our finest shirt, an
irreproachable collar, and our best clothes? We deify the garments
associated with that all-supreme moment.
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