Here's a short story:

CHAPTER VI. OF HOW ANDREA BECAME LOVE-SICK 

With what fictions I could call to mind I put off Andrea's questions touching the peculiar fashion of St. Auban's leave-taking. Tell him the truth and expose to him the situation whereof he was himself the unconscious centre I dared not, lest his high-spirited impetuosity should cause him to take into his own hands the reins of the affair, and thus drive himself into irreparable disaster. 

Andrea himself showed scant concern, however, and was luckily content with my hurriedly invented explanations; his thoughts had suddenly found occupation in another and a gentler theme than the ill-humour of men, and presently his tongue betrayed them when he drew the conversation to the ladies to whom he had resigned his apartments. 

"Pardieu! Gaston," he burst out, "she is a lovely maid--saw you ever a bonnier?" 

"Indeed she is very beautiful," I answered, laughing to myself at the thought of how little he dreamt that it was of Yvonne St. Albaret de Canaples that he spoke, and not minded for the while to enlighten him. 

"If she be as kind and gentle as she is beautiful, Gaston, well--Uncle Giulio's plans are likely to suffer shipwreck. I shall not leave Choisy until I have spoken to her; in fact, I shall not leave until she leaves." 

"Nevertheless, we shall still be able to set out, as we had projected, after dining, for in an hour, or two at most, they will proceed on their journey." 

He was silent for some moments, then:  (End of story)

Provide your best guess for the following question. Give ONLY the guess, no other words or explanation.

For example:

Guess: <most likely guess, as short as possible; not a complete sentence, just the guess!>

Here are a few examples of questions and answers:

Question: Who is Andrea?
Guess: a man who is in love

Question: was it reciprocated?
Guess: no

Question: was he focused on it?
Guess: yes

Question: was he entertaining other romantinc partners?
Guess: unknown

Question: Who was he having over to his place?
Guess: unknown

Question: Who was Gaston
Guess: the narrator

Question: who were they talking about?
Guess: Yvonne St. Albaret de Canaples

Question: who did they refer to as beautiful?
Guess: Yvonne St. Albaret de Canaples

Question: was she the maid?
Guess: yes

Now answer the following question in the same format.

Question: What were they doing before setting out?

dining