There had been great commotion in the house.

M.Gerdy had gone down a short time after her master, and she had seen him return two hours later.

After that, they had sent for the doctor.

Such goings on would be the death of her, without counting that her constitution was too weak to allow her to sit up so late.

But Mannette forgot that she did not sit up on her master's account nor on Noel's but was expecting one of her old friends, one of those handsome Gardes de Paris who had promised to marry her, and for whom she had waited in vain, the rascal! She burst forth in reproaches, while she prepared her master's bed, too sincere, she declared, to keep anything on her mind, or to keep her mouth closed, when it was a question of his health and reputation.