'I want--I want--Never mind what I want. It is from your father
that I shall demand it, not from you. I shall take care to see
myself righted. I know the French law as well as the Swiss.'
'If you're talking of law, you had better go back to Basle and get a
lawyer,' said George.
There had been no word spoken of George returning to Colmar on that
morning. He had told his father that he had brought nothing with
him but what he had on; and in truth when he left Colmar he had not
looked forward to any welcome which would induce him to remain at
Granpere. But the course of things had been different from that
which he had expected. He was much too good a general to think of
returning now, and he had friends in the house who knew how to
supply him with what was most necessary to him. Nobody had asked
him to stay. His father had not uttered a word of welcome. But he
did stay, and Michel would have been very much surprised indeed if
he had heard that he had gone. The man in the stable had ventured
to suggest that the old mare would not be wanted to go over the
mountain that day. To this George assented, and made special
request that the old mare might receive gentle treatment.
And so the day passed away. Marie, who had recovered her health,
was busy as usual about the house. George and Urmand, though they
did not associate, were rarely long out of each other's sight; and
neither the one nor the other found much opportunity for pressing
his suit. George probably felt that there was not much need to do
so, and Urmand must have known that any pressing of his suit in the
ordinary way would be of no avail. The innkeeper tried to make work
for himself about the place, had the carriages out and washed,
inspected the horses, and gave orders as to the future slaughter of
certain pigs. Everybody about the house, nevertheless, down to the
smallest boy attached to the inn, knew that the landlord's mind was
pre-occupied with the love affairs of those two men. There was
hardly an inhabitant of Granpere who did not understand what was
going on; and, had it been the custom of the place to make bets on
such matters, very long odds would have been wanted before any one
would have backed Adrian Urmand. And yet two days ago he was
considered to be sure of the prize. M. le Cure Gondin was a good
deal at the hotel during the day, and perhaps he was the staunchest
supporter of the Swiss aspirant. He endeavoured to support Madame
Voss, having that strong dislike to yield an inch in practice or in
doctrine, which is indicative of his order. He strove hard to make
Madame Voss understand that if only she would be firm and cause her
husband to be firm also, Marie would, of course, yield at last. 'I
have ever so many young women just in the same way,' said the Cure,
'and you would have thought they were going to break their hearts;
but as soon as ever they have been married, they have forgotten all
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