“My dear Friend,” said the letter, “I hear that you have been very ill and have given up going to the Champs-Élysées. I hardly ever go there either because there has been such an enormous lot of illness. But I’m having my friends to tea here every Monday and Friday. Mamma asks me to tell you that it will be a great pleasure to us all if you will come too, as soon as you are well again, and we can have some more nice talks here, just like the Champs-Élysées. Goodbye, dear friend; I hope that your parents will allow you to come to tea very often. With all my kindest regards. Gilberte. ”