The marquis had been absent three weeks when a messenger arrived with a missive directed to the abbe. Gabrielle was in the moat garden superintending the chevalier, who was occupied in the watering of plants. Toinon was there, too, looking after Jean Boulot, as was her duty, while he clipped and trimmed the hedges, with the prodigies hanging to his coat-tails. The group made a charming picture of rural bliss, such as it makes good the heart to look upon. Through the postern-door leisurely emerged the abbe, gazing at a paper as he descended the grassy slope with a scowl of genuine annoyance. "What is it?" cried Gabrielle, turning pale. "Nothing wrong with Clovis?" "Everything wrong with Clovis," retorted Pharamond, testily. "He must have lost his wits to be capable of such a proceeding." "He is well?" "Oh, yes; he is well." "Then all is well." "Is it? That remains to be shown. He will be home to-morrow at supper time." "Then all is well, indeed. The best of news!" Delighted as she was, a pang shot through the heart of the marquise, in that the absent one had elected to communicate with his brother rather than his wife. "Do you know?" she remarked with a smile, "that I am quite jealous. He ought to have written to me." "I suppose he had the decency to be ashamed, and so left it to me to smooth the way for him. There is something here which I doubt your liking. It was wrong--very, very wrong--not to have first consulted _you_." "What is it? Let me know, without all this parley. You torture me!" "Well, the prodigal returns to-morrow--but not alone." "I know that. He had full permission to hire an assistant. Are there more? He is welcome to bring his friends." "A female friend?" "A woman!" ejaculated Gabrielle, dropping her garden scissors, while Toinon stared, round-eyed. "A woman!" echoed Pharamond, moved to real anger. "Was there ever anything so ridiculous! a woman picked up at Spa!" "What can she want here?' inquired Toinon. "A protegee, it appears, of that infernal prophet," grumbled the abbe. "Listen to what he says: 'Gabrielle will be charmed,' he writes (double distilled blockhead), 'when she understands it all, for by a most lucky chance, the presence of Mademoiselle Brunelle will serve a double purpose. She is an adept of the first class, educated under the eye of Mesmer himself, instructed in all the intricacies of animal magnetism, and has, moreover, successfully followed the avocation of governess. The dear children have outgrown the reach of my wife's teaching, and Mademoiselle Brunelle can henceforth superintend their studies.'"