"`My little girl must not trouble herself about these things,' said Pierre's mother. `It is sometimes right to punish those who are really naughty.' "`Yes,' said Edmee. `But the poor people who are so often cold and hungry--ah, I could not make them more unhappy!' "`Bless her kind heart!' murmured Madame Germain, and many a dweller in Valmont-les-Roses echoed the words. "Some weeks passed--as if to make up for the severity of the winter, the spring came early that year, and with unusual softness and balminess. The Count was able to sit out on the terrace in the finest part of the day, enjoying the sweet air after his long confinement to the house, and though he knew in his heart that the improvement was but for a time, he had not the courage to say so to his poor wife. And so some amount of hopefulness seemed to have returned. "One day, when Edmee was coming back from a visit to the village, escorted by Pierre, she was met at the gates of the chateau by one of the servants, who told her that the Count and Countess wished her to go at once to the terrace. "`My lord the Marquis has arrived unexpectedly,' added the man. "Edmee shrank back. "`Pierrot,' she said, in the half-babyish way she still sometimes spoke, `Edmee doesn't want to see him.' "`But Edmee must,' said the boy smiling. "`Pierrot must come too, then,' said the little girl coaxingly; and so, a good deal against his will, for he had an instinctive dislike to the lord of Sarinet, the boy was obliged to go with her. And, out of a sort of mischief, the child clung tightly to him, even when they came within sight of the group on the terrace, though when he saw that there were strangers there, Pierre would gladly have drawn back. "A tall, distinguished-looking man, with clear cut features and piercing dark eyes, was sitting beside the Countess. He rose as he heard her exclamation, `At last comes Edmee!' and calling to him a boy about Pierre's age, but much smaller and thinner, came forward as if to meet her. But catching sight of her companion he hesitated: a frown crossed his face, and turning to his sister--for he was the Marquis de Sarinet-- he said coldly: "`Whom have we here, Louise? It is time it seems to me, that Edmee had some one to play with if you are so at a loss for comrades for her.' "The Countess's face flushed. But she knew her brother's character, and knew that there was no use in noticing such speeches. She held out her hand to Edmee, who ran forward to her, and then smiling kindly to Pierre, who stood, cap in hand, waiting respectfully-- "`This is Pierre Germain,' she said, `the son of our much-trusted forester. His mother, you may remember, saved our Edmee's life by her devotion to her when she was such a delicate baby. Pierre often accompanies Edmee in her walks. I am never the least uneasy when I know he is there--he is so careful of her.'