It did not seem to him that George spoke of such a marriage as though the rumour of it had made him unhappy.

The question had been asked almost with indifference.

And then the young man's manner to Marie, and Marie's manner to him, during the last two days had made him certain that he had been right in supposing that they had both forgotten the little tenderness of a year ago.

And Michel had thoroughly made up his mind that it would be well that Marie should marry Adrian.

He believed that he had already vanquished Marie's scruples.