M.Charnot kept his eyes on his daughter, more interested in her than in all the wealth of spring.

He kept well to the right of the path as the sun ate away the edge of the shadows; and asked, from time to time: "Are you tired ?" "Oh, no!" "As soon as you are tired, my dear, we will sit down.

I am not walking too fast ?" She answered "No" again, and laughed, and they went on.
Soon they left the avenue and were lost in a green alley.

Then a sudden twilight seemed to have closed down on me, an infinite sadness swelled in my heart.

I closed my eyes, and--God forgive my weakness, but the tears came.
"Hallo! What part do you intend me to play in all this ?" said Lampron behind me.
"'What part' ?" "Yes.