"My father kept me. In any case, I do not see how that should affect the Mayor's wife. But I had such a cold bow from her, my dear, last Sunday at the church door. Do you care about the Bastians' bows?" "Yes; in the same way that I care for the greetings of all good people." "Good people--yes; but they do not know what life is! To be blamed by them is just the same to me as if I were to be blamed by an Egyptian mummy come to life for the purpose. I should answer: 'You do not understand anything about it; go and wrap yourself up again.' Is it not strange that you do not think as I do--you, my brother?" Jean stroked the hand which was raised in front of him to make a screen. "Even mummies can judge of certain things of our time, my darling--the things which are of all times." "Oh! how serious you are. Come now, where was I wrong? Was it in going for a walk? In not looking away? In answering a greeting? In obeying my father, who told me to come and stay?" "No; assuredly not!" "What harm have I done?" "None. I have danced with many German girls. You can acknowledge an officer's greeting." "Then I did right?" "As a fact, yes. But there are so many sorrows around us--real sorrows, and so noble. You must remember that they all come to life again at a word, or a gesture." "I shall never consider that. Since what I do is not wrong, no one shall ever stop me. Do you hear?" "That is where we differ, Lucienne. It is not so much in our ideas; it is in a whole range of feelings which your education prevents you from possessing." He kissed her, and the conversation wandered to different topics. CHAPTER VII THE EASTER VIGIL The weather had settled fine. Jean found the plain of Alsace in full spring glory. However, he only felt a faint and mixed pleasure in the sight he had longed for. He came back from this excursion more upset than he cared to own to himself. It had revealed to him the opposition of the two nations--that is to say, of two minds, the persistent memory of many of the poor, and the difficulty they found to make a livelihood which their prudent and even hidden opinions created for them. He understood better now how difficult a part his would be to play in the family, at the works, in the village, in Alsace. The pleasure he felt the morning after his return at his father's congratulations on the report of the forest cultivation by the House of Oberlé made only a short diversion in the midst of this worry. He tried in vain to appear quite happy, and he duly deceived those whose interest it was to be deceived. "My Jean," said his mother, kissing him as he was going to sit down to breakfast, "I think you look splendid. The strong Alsheim air agrees with you, and also being near your poor mamma!" "Fancy that!" said Lucienne, "and I thought him very gloomy!"