"Who's this? Aye, aye, mistress, it's you, is it? You appear at a good time. I have just been hearing of you. Now! What do you want?"
He stands the candle on the chimney-piece in the clerk's hall and taps his dry cheek with the key as he addresses these words of welcome to Mademoiselle Hortense. That feline personage, with her lips tightly shut and her eyes looking out at him sideways, softly closes the door before replying.
"I have had great deal of trouble to find you, sir."
"HAVE you!"

"Who's this? Aye, aye, mistress, it's you, is it? I have just been hearing about you. Now! What do you want?"
He addresses these words to Mademoiselle Hortense. That feline personage softly closes the door before replying.
"I have had great deal of trouble to find you, sir. 