"You did not buy anything for yourself," said Juliette, reproachfully. "Oh! yes, I see you did," and she pretended to perceive for the first time the little red case containing the ring, which inadvertently he had pulled out of his pocket with the other articles, although in truth she had observed it from the beginning. "Let us learn what it is," she went on, possessing herself of and opening the case. "Oh! a ring, what a pretty ring, with two hearts. For whom is the ring, Monsieur Godfrey? Someone in England?"
Then Godfrey, overcome, told a lie.
"No, for myself," he said.
Juliette looked at him and exclaimed: "Then you should have told the jeweller to make it big enough. Try and you will see."
He turned red as a boiled lobster. Mademoiselle stood opposite to him, shaking her pretty head, and murmuring: "Quel mensonge! Quel bête mensonge!" while Madame broke into a low and melodious laughter, and as she laughed, looked first at the ring and then at Juliette's shapely hand.
"Make not a mock of our young friend," said the Pasteur, suddenly lifting his glance, or rather his spectacles from a long contemplation of that noble pipe and becoming aware of what was passing. "We all have our presents, which are magnificent. What then is our affair with the ring? Pardon them, and put it in your pocket, Godfrey, and come, let us go to the observatory, for the night is fine, and by now the stove will be warm."
So they went, and soon were engaged in contemplation of the stars, an occupation which absorbed Godfrey so much that for a while he forgot all his troubles.
When the door had shut behind them Madame looked at Juliette, who with her new watch held to her ear, observed her out of the corners of her eyes.
"I find him charming," said Madame presently.
"Yes, Mamma," replied Juliette, "so bright and even the tick is musical."
"Stupid!" exclaimed Madame. "When I was your age--well."
"Pardon!" said Juliette, opening her eyes innocently.
"Child, I meant our young English friend. I repeat that I find him charming."
"Of course, Mamma--after that necklace."
"And you--after that watch?"
"Oh! well enough, though too grave perhaps, and fond of what is far off--I mean stars," she added hurriedly.
"Stars! Pish! It is but because there is nothing nearer. At his age--stars!--well of a sort, perhaps."
She paused while Juliette still looked provokingly innocent. So her mother took a long step forward, for in truth she grew impatient with all this obtuseness in which, for reasons of her own, she did not believe.