"Exactly."

"Oh, very well!"

The word was sometimes accompanied by a smile which could leave no doubt
as to its meaning.

"Well, what sort of a girl was she?"

"A good sort of girl."

"Is that all?"

"Oh, yes; more intelligence and perhaps a little more heart than most."

"Do you know anything particular about her?"

"She ruined Baron de G."

"No more than that?"

"She was the mistress of the old Duke of..."

"Was she really his mistress?"

"So they say; at all events, he gave her a great deal of money."

The general outlines were always the same. Nevertheless I was anxious
to find out something about the relations between Marguerite and Armand.
Meeting one day a man who was constantly about with known women, I asked
him: "Did you know Marguerite Gautier?"

The answer was the usual: "Very well."

"What sort of a girl was she?"

"A fine, good girl. I was very sorry to hear of her death."

"Had she not a lover called Armand Duval?"

"Tall and blond?"

"Yes.

"It is quite true."

"Who was this Armand?"

"A fellow who squandered on her the little money he had, and then had to
leave her. They say he was quite wild about it."