"What?" said Marcel. "Oh! yes, you are speaking of his visit to Madame d'Estrelle! Well, such things have been known, my dear aunt; he is good-looking enough and agreeable enough to please a great lady; but she is ruined and can extricate herself only by a wealthy marriage, which it is our duty to desire for her, on the condition that the man is not too old. I do not believe she is as bold and courageous as you were, and, moreover, the plan that succeeded with you is generally ruinous; a great passion is a number that wins only once in a hundred thousand times in the lottery of destiny! Let us not wish that for Julien and for _her!_" "No, I don't wish it; it is too dangerous, as you say; but if she does take a fancy to him, what will happen?" "I have no idea; but she is virtuous and he is an honorable man; they will both suffer. It would be better to separate them if possible." "To be sure! that is what I said to you in the beginning. But what a pity! They are both so handsome, so young and so good! Ah! fate is very unjust sometimes! If my poor husband had left Julien the fortune we once had, he might have been a suitable match for her, as she is poor and without family pride! Alas! may God forgive me! this is the first time I ever blamed my André. Let us say no more about it, Marcel, let us say no more about it!" "We must think about it, none the less," replied the solicitor, "and not let Julien's heart burn too fiercely. To-day, it is fireworks, because he probably has some hope; but to-morrow it may be a conflagration." "What shall we do, Marcel?" "I don't know. I would like to be able to confess Madame d'Estrelle, and Uncle Antoine above all, for I am not deceived by his philosophy, and I am afraid--" "What are you afraid of?" "Everything. Should we not be prepared for everything with him?" Madame d'Estrelle had been almost made ill by all the excitement of the day. Julien's visit had proved to be the finishing touch; but, as soon as he left her, the sort of fever which Monsieur Antoine's performance had caused gave place to a not unpleasant feeling of lassitude. "I have a friend," she said to herself, "a most agreeable friend, that is certain, though the whole world should make sport of me for trusting so implicitly in the word of a man whom I did not know a few hours ago; but should I accept this zealous friendship? is it not dangerous to him and to me? To be sure, he did not ask me to accept it. He went away like a man who is dependent on nobody and who loves without permission. Since he says that he has no hope, has he not a right to love? And what could I do to prevent him?" Julie was perfectly well aware, in her inmost conscience, that she should not have received Julien after Madame Thierry's revelation concerning his feeling for her.