Soon we shall be equals all, as the good God made us, and--" He paused, and smiled pensively.

And as again the memory of her yesternight's kindness rose before him, his smile broadened; it became a laugh that went ringing down the glade, scaring a noisy thrush into silence and sending it flying in affright across the scintillant waters of the brook.

Then that hearty laugh broke sharply off, as, behind him, the sweetest voice in all the world demanded the reason of this mad-sounding mirth.
La Boulaye's breath seemed in that instant to forsake him and he grew paler than Nature and the writer's desk had fashioned him.

Awkwardly he turned and made her a deep bow.
"Mademoiselle! You--you see that you surprised me!" he faltered, like a fool.

For how should he, whose only comrades had been books, have learnt to bear himself in the company of a woman, particularly when she belonged to the ranks of those whom--despite Rousseau and his other dear philosophers--he had been for years in the habit of accounting his betters?
"Why, then, I am glad, Monsieur, that I surprised you in so gay a humour--for, my faith, it is a rare enough thing." "True, lady," said he foolishly, yet politely agreeing with her, "it is a rare thing." And he sighed--"Helas!" At that the laughter leapt from her young lips, and turned him hot and cold as he stood awkwardly before her.
"I see that we shall have you sad at the thought of how rare is happiness, you that but a moment back were--or so it seemed--so joyous.
Or is it that my coming has overcast the sky of your good humour ?" she demanded archly.
He blushed like a school-girl, and strenuously protested that it was not so.