The landlord thought that he discovered an indication of concession in his niece's voice, and began immediately to adapt himself to the softer courses. 'Well, Marie, you know what it is we all wish. I hope you understand that we love you well, and think so much of you, that we would not intrust you to any one living, who did not bear a high character and seem to deserve you.' He was looking into Marie's face as he spoke, and saw that she was soft and thoughtful in her mood, not proud and scornful as she had been on the preceding evening. 'You have grown up here with us, Marie, till it has almost come upon us with surprise that you are a beautiful young woman, instead of a great straggling girl.' 'I wish I was a great straggling girl still.' 'Do not say that, my darling. We must all take the world as it is, you know. But here you are, and of course it is my duty and your aunt's duty--' it was always a sign of high good humour on the part of Michel Voss, when he spoke of his wife as being anybody in the household--'my duty and your aunt's duty to see and do the best for you.' 'You have always done the best for me in letting me be here.' 'Well, my dear, I hope so. You had to be here, and you fell into this way of life naturally. But sometimes, when I have seen you waiting on the people about the house, I've thought it wasn't quite right.' 'I think it was quite right. Peter couldn't do it all, and he'd be sure to make a mess of it.' 'We must have two Peters; that's all. But as I was saying, that kind of thing was natural enough before you were grown up, and had become--what shall I say?--such a handsome young woman.' Marie laughed, and turned up her nose and shook her head; but it may be presumed that she received some comfort from her uncle's compliments. 'And then I began to see, and your aunt began to see, that it wasn't right that you should spend your life handing soup to the young men here.' 'It is Peter who always hands the soup to the young men.' 'Well, well; but you are waiting upon them, and upon us.' 'I trust the day is never to come, uncle, when I'm to be ashamed of waiting upon you.' When he heard this, he put his arm round her and kissed her. Had he known at that moment what her feelings were in regard to his son, he would have recommended Adrian Urmand to go back to Basle. Had he known what were George's feelings, he would at once have sent for his son from Colmar. 'I hope you may give me my pipe and my cup of coffee when I'm such an old fellow that I can't get up to help myself. That's the sort of reward we look forward to from those we love and cherish. But, Marie, when we see you as you are now--your aunt and I--we feel that this kind of thing shouldn't go on. We want the world to know that you are a daughter to us, not a servant.' 'O, the world--the world, uncle! Why should we care for the world?'