"Why, think of all the offers she has refused! I think I have heard that the count himself wanted to marry her; and a Monsieur de Raincy, and many more. What reason had she for refusing everybody who came forward, if she hadn't love for somebody in her heart? and that somebody was you--and yet she had no hope of marrying you. Oh! what a difference between her and her sister! Well, I've told you what I had to tell you; now, you may act as you please.--But, at all events, you are back again. I trust that you're not going to start off to-morrow?" "Oh! I shall not go away again; I've had enough of travelling; I am going to settle down in Paris now." "Good! _vive la joie!_ But do you know that your uncle is still unrelenting to me? He received me very coldly when I asked him for employment." "Never fear, my friend; I am here now, I will look about for you, and we will arrange all that." "Very good; I will go, for you must have much to do; when shall I see you again?" "Come in a few days, and I will tell you--yes, I will tell you what I have done." "Agreed. Au revoir! My friend has returned; I have my cue!" LXI LOVE REWARDED Gustave remained for a long time buried in thought; what Cherami had said to him on the subject of Adolphine had moved him profoundly. With a heart so easily touched, a heart made to love, Gustave had as yet met with nothing but falsehood and perfidy. He remembered now a thousand occasions on which Fanny's sister had shown the deepest interest in him; she was always kind to him, always had some consolation to give him; he recalled, too, her habitual melancholy, her sad smile, and the sighs which she tried in vain to restrain when he held her hand. Having passed in review all these memories, the young man hastily left the house, saying to himself: "I will go to see her; I will read in her eyes whether she really loves me." Adolphine was in her room, working at her embroidery frame; Madeleine was hovering about her mistress, pretending to arrange the furniture. Madeleine was an excellent girl, who had divined that her mistress was in love. She had noticed that she never smiled or seemed happy, except when Gustave came to see her; but she had heard it said that he was going to marry her mistress's sister, whereupon Adolphine had become more melancholy than ever. Later, it was said that the marriage was broken off, and yet Adolphine never smiled; to be sure, the young man who always brought a smile to her lips had ceased to come. Madeleine would have been glad to have her young mistress confide her secret to her; but she confined in the lowest depths of her heart a passion which she believed to be well hidden. However, the maid succeeded occasionally, by dint of beating about the bush, in extorting a few words, which she made the most of. "Mamzelle," said Madeleine, "isn't it very strange that madame your sister never comes to see you now?" "My father was angry with her, you know."