The young ladies encountered him in the aisle as they left the
church before the service was finished. It had long since been
finished for him, and was finished for the young ladies also when
they had satisfied their curiosity to see who was there and who with
whom.
"We cannot pray for you any longer, Chevalier des Meloises!" said
one of the gayest of the group; "the Lady Superior has economically
granted us but one hour in the city to make our purchases and attend
Vespers. Out of that hour we can only steal forty minutes for a
promenade through the city, so good-by, if you prefer the church to
our company, or come with us and you shall escort two of us. You
see we have only a couple of gentlemen to six ladies."
"I much prefer your company, Mademoiselle de Brouague!" replied he
gallantly, forgetting the important meeting of the managers of the
Grand Company at the Palace. The business, however, was being
cleverly transacted without his help.
Louise de Brouague had no great esteem for the Chevalier des
Meloises, but, as she remarked to a companion, he made rather a neat
walking-stick, if a young lady could procure no better to promenade
with.
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