'Plenty,' said Michel; 'plenty.' But Marie knew from the tone of his voice that he was not thinking about the grass, and so she held her peace. But the want or plenty of the pasture was generally a subject of the greatest interest to the people of Granpere at that special time of the year, and one on which Michel Voss was ever ready to speak. Marie therefore knew that there was something on her uncle's mind. Nevertheless he inspected the timber that was cut, and made some remarks about the work of the men. They were not so careful in barking the logs as they used to be, and upon the whole he thought that the wood itself was of a worse quality. What is there that we do not find to be deteriorating around us when we consider the things in detail, though we are willing enough to admit a general improvement? 'Yes,' said he, in answer to some remarks from Marie, 'we must take it, no doubt, as God gives it to us, but we need not spoil it in the handling. Sit down, my dear; I want to speak to you for a few minutes.' Then they sat down together on a large prostrate pine, which was being prepared to be sent down to the saw-mill. 'My dear,' said he, 'I want to speak to you about Adrian Urmand.' She blushed and trembled as she placed herself beside him; but he hardly noticed it. He was not quite at his ease himself, and was a little afraid of the task he had undertaken. 'Adrian tells me that he asked you to take him as your lover, and that you refused.' 'Yes, Uncle Michel.' 'But why, my dear? How are you to do better? Perhaps I, or your aunt, should have spoken to you first, and told you that we thought well of the match.' 'It wasn't that, uncle. I knew you thought well of it; or, at least, I believed that you did.' 'And what is your objection, Marie?' 'I don't object to M. Urmand, uncle;--at least, not particularly.' 'But he says you do object. You would not accept him when he offered himself.' 'No; I did not accept him.' 'But you will, my dear,--if he comes again?' 'No, uncle.' 'And why not? Is he not a good young man?' 'O, yes,--that is, I daresay.' 'And he has a good business. I do not know what more you could expect.' 'I expect nothing, uncle,--except not to go away from you.' 'Ah,--but you must go away from me. I should be very wrong, and so would your aunt, to let you remain here till you lose your good looks, and become an old woman on our hands. You are a pretty girl, Marie, and fit to be any man's wife, and you ought to take a husband. I am quite in earnest now, my dear; and I speak altogether for your own welfare.' 'I know you are in earnest, and I know that you speak for my welfare.'