“Ah, but I am a strategic one,” Courfeyrac insists, his blinding smile returning in full force as they approach the woman in question. “I swear to you, my friend, no matter how charming she is, I will not so readily ruin our outing - and my chances.”

He switches to English for the sake of the woman in question. “Ah, mademoiselle, Marius tells me you will be our guide this afternoon? It is entirely my pleasure."