"Only my wisdom--eh, father mine? But 'tis not wisdom that is required now. Wisdom has quarrelled with Ronnay de Maurel--guilelessness shall bring about the reconciliation. M. de Maurel's wealth shall be placed at the service of the King on the faith of Fernande de Courson!" "God hear you, my child!" concluded Mme. la Marquise fervently. II After that the conversation drifted to other subjects. Laurent remained morose until the end of dinner and Fernande made no effort to cheer him up. In the late afternoon she wandered out into the open. The garden was a mere tangle of weeds and overgrown shrubs; there were neither lawns nor parterres, but it smelled good of fresh earth and spring rains, of wet young leaves and opening blossom. Fernande had slipped a coarse gardening apron over her white gown and, gardening tools in hand, she set to work to disentangle a fragrant hedge of hawthorn and lilac from a mass of encroaching weeds. Despite the sorrowful outlook in her young life, despite the cares and heavy thoughts which weighed upon her father and her friends and kindred--almost despite herself--she felt singularly gay and elated. It was not the fashion to be merry in the circles of these emigres who had just returned to their devastated homes, through the clemency of the Corsican usurper; tempers had to be sober and looks demure. The cause of the King had to be fought again; thoughts of danger, of conspiracy and self-sacrifice--aye! even of crime--all in a just cause--were in the air. Women, men, young girls and boys were prepared to shed the last drop of their blood in order to restore the Bourbons to their heritage, even though the nation had ceased to want them, and to oust from his self-constituted throne the soldier of fortune--the Emperor, who to many was still the little corporal, and who was the idol of France. These aims were so high and so serious, that levity appeared out of place. Mme. la Marquise never smiled, M. de Courson was a pattern of seriousness, Laurent was ofttimes self-absorbed and always thoughtful, and Fernande--when her natural gaiety, her youth and healthful spirits caused inward laughter to bubble up and a song to rise to her throat--would take refuge in the tangled garden and share her joy in life with the birds.