come back
to you whenever she chooses, without making any advances and merely for
the sake of vexing your friends."

"Very good," said Rodolphe, "let her come and we shall see."

And he began to pay court to Amelie, who went off to tell everything to
Mimi, and to assure her that Rodolphe was very much in love with
herself.

"He kissed me again on the hand and the neck; see it is quite red," said
she. "He wants to take me to a dance tomorrow."

"My dear friend," said Mimi, rather vexed, "I see what you are driving
at, to make me believe that Rodolphe is in love with you and thinks no
more about me. But you are wasting your time both for him and me."

The fact was that Rodolphe only showed himself amiable towards Amelie
to get her to call on him the oftener, and to have the opportunity of
speaking to her about his mistress. But with a Machiavelism that had
perhaps its object, and whilst perceiving very well that Rodolphe still
loved Mimi, and that the latter was not indisposed to rejoin him, Amelie
strove, by ingeniously inventive reports, to fend off everything that
might serve to draw the pair together again.

The day on which she was to go to the ball Amelie called in the morning
to ask Rodolphe whether the engagement still held good.

"Yes," he replied, "I do not want to miss the opportunity of being the
cavalier of the most beautiful woman of the day."

Amelie assumed the coquettish air that she had put on the occasion of
her solitary appearance at a suburban theater as fourth chambermaid, and
promised to be ready that evening.

"By the way," said Rodolphe, "tell Mademoiselle Mimi that if she will be
guilty of an infidelity to her lover in my favor, and come and pass a
night with me, I will give her up all her things."

Amelie executed Rodolphe's commission, and gave to his words quite
another meaning than that which she had guessed they bore.

"Your Rodolphe is a rather base fellow," said she to Mimi. "His proposal
is infamous. He wishes by this step to make you descend to the rank of
the vilest creatures, and if you go to him not only will he not give you
your things, but he will show you up as a jest to all his comrades. It
is a plot arranged amongst them."

"I will not go," said Mimi, and as she saw Amelie engaged in preparing
her toilette, she asked her whether she was going to the ball.

"Yes," replied the other.

"With Rodolphe?"

"Yes, he is to wait for me this evening twenty yards or so fr