“Madame, I have advised. I can do no more. C’est fini. ”

He bowed them both to the door.

“Ah! la la ,” he observed, returning. “ Histoire de femmes! The good husband, he hit the nail on the head⁠— tout de même , he was not tactful! Assuredly not.”

I imparted to him my vague remembrances, and he nodded vigorously.

“So I thought. All the same, there is something curious underneath all this. With your permission, mon ami , I will take the air. Await my return, I beg of you. I shall not be long.”