'So your cousin Marie is to be married to Adrian Urmand, the young linen-merchant at Basle,' said Madame Faragon one morning to George Voss.

In this manner were the first assured tidings of the coming marriage conveyed to the rival lover.

This occurred a day or two after the betrothal, when Adrian was back at Basle.

No one at Granpere had thought of writing an express letter to George on the subject.

George's father might have done so, had the writing of letters been a customary thing with him; but his correspondence was not numerous, and such letters as he did write were short, and always confined to matters concerning his trade.