Pierrot came out of the thicket at this moment, carrying an immense bunch of mountain ash berries. Bijou was smiling again by this time. "You are ever so kind, Pierrot dear," she said, after thanking him, "and all the more so as you will have the bother of carrying that for another mile yet." "Oh! if it would give you any pleasure, you know, I'd do things that were a lot more bother than that!" "You are good, Pierrot." "It isn't because I'm good;" he said, and then coming nearer, so that he touched the horse, he added very softly: "It's because I'm so fond of you." Bijou did not answer, and in another minute Pierrot began again: "How well you sang last night. Didn't she, M'sieu' Giraud?" "Wonderfully well," said the tutor. "And what a lovely voice! so fresh, and so pure. I can understand something now which I did not understand yesterday." "What may that be?" "The infinite power of the voice! Yes, before hearing you I did not know what I know at present. You will sing again, will you not, mademoiselle? Fancy, I have been here three weeks, and I had never had the happiness of--" "I will give you _that happiness_ as much as ever you like." She was joking again now, for the little dreamy creature of a minute before was Bijou once more. As they approached the chateau, she put her hand up to shade her eyes. "Why, what's going on?" she said; "the hall-door steps look black with people." "Hang it!" exclaimed Pierrot crossly. "They are all out there watching for you! There's Paul, and there's Henry, and the abbe, and Uncle Alexis, and Bertrade. Look, though! Who's that? You are right--there are some other folks too. Ah! it's old Dubuisson, and Jeanne, and then there's a fellow I don't know; a fellow all in black. Oh, well! he must be a shivery sort to come to the country dressed in black, in such heat as this." "Perhaps it's M. Spiegel, Jeanne's _fiance_. They were to bring him." "Yes, that must be it! I say, he doesn't look a very lively sort, your Jeanne's _fiance_. She isn't though either--" Bijou was looking round to see what had become of Giraud, who had suddenly become so silent. He was following the young girl, worshipping her as he walked along as though she were some idol. Just at this moment, whilst Pierrot was very much taken up with looking in the direction of the chateau, the little bunch of clematis dropped from Bijou's dress, and fell at the tutor's feet. He picked it up quickly, and slipped it into his pocket-book, after kissing it, with a kind of passionate devotion, whilst behind him, the old groom, silent and correct as usual, laughed to himself. IX. M. DUBUISSON, whom the students called "Old Dubuisson," was the principal of the college. He had brought his daughter to Bracieux, where she was to spend a week with Bijou, and Jeanne's _fiance_, a young professor, newly appointed at the Pont-sur-Loire College, had accompanied them.