The Marquis pressed her hard to stay, and I said nothing; but Marie insisted on coming home.

I thought Henri looked somewhat more sombre than is his wont, as he was leading her down the steps: but he cannot, must not, think of love now, Victorine.

La Vendee now wants all his energies." "But you would not forbid him to love her, Charles ?" "I could forbid him nothing, for I love him as Joseph loved his younger brother Benjamin." "And he will be here now backwards and forwards, will he not ?" "Probably he will--that is as circumstances may arise--he is, at any rate, as likely to be at Clisson as Durbelliere." "He will be more likely, Charles, take my word for it; you cannot prevent their meeting; you cannot hinder them from loving each other." "Were the King upon his throne, it would be my greatest joy to give my sister to my friend, but now--it is the same for all of us--we must take the chance of these horrid times; and could they be taught to quench the warm feelings of their young hearts, it were well for both of them.

The cold, callous disposition would escape much misery, which will weigh down to the grave the loving and the generous." On the next morning, Madame de Lescure spoke to her sister-in-law on the same subject.

She could not bring herself to look on things around her quite so darkly as her husband did.