there, just in the middle of the river, at that pretty little island, bordered with willows and poplars, and that sweet little white house, almost close to the water's edge! How delicious it must be to live there in the summer, when all the leaves are on the trees and the birds sing so sweetly among the branches! Oh, how quiet and cool it must be in that nice place!" "Well, really, now, my dear," said Madame Seraphin, with a grim smile, "it is singular enough your being so much struck with that little isle!" "Why, madame?" "Because it is there we are actually going to." "Going to that island?" "Yes; does that astonish you?" "Rather so, madame." "But suppose you found your friends there?" "Oh, what do you mean?" "Suppose, I say, you found all your friends had assembled there, to welcome you on your release from prison, should you not then be greatly surprised?" "Oh, if it were but possible! My dear Madame Georges?--M. Rodolph?" "Upon my word, my dear, I am just like a baby in your hands, and you turn and twist me just as you please; it is useless for me to try to conceal anything, for, with your little winning ways, you find out all secrets." "Then I shall soon see them again? Dear madame, how can I ever thank you sufficiently for your goodness to a poor girl like me? Feel how my heart beats! It is all with joy and happiness!" "Well, well, my love, be as wild with delight as you please, but pray do not hurry on so very fast. You forget, you little mad thing, that my old bones cannot run as fast as your nimble young feet." "I beg your pardon, madame; but I cannot help being quite impatient to arrive where we are going." "To be sure you cannot; don't fancy I mean to blame you for it; quite the contrary." "The road slopes a little now, madame, and it is rather rough, too; will you accept of my arm to assist you down?" "I never refuse a good offer, my dear; for I am somewhat infirm, as well as old, while you are young and active." "Then pray lean all your weight on me, madame; don't be afraid of tiring me." "Many thanks, my child! Your help was really very serviceable, for the descent is so extremely rapid just here. Now, then, we are once more on smooth, level ground." "Oh, madame, can it, indeed, be true that I am about to meet my dear Madame Georges? I can scarcely persuade myself it is reality." "A little patience,--another quarter of an hour, and then you will see whether it is true or false." "But what puzzles me," said Fleur-de-Marie, after a moment's reflection, "is, why Madame Georges should have thought proper to meet me here, instead of at the farm." "Still curious, my dear child, still wanting to know everybody's reasons." "How very foolish and unreasonable I am, am I not, madame?" said Fleur-de-Marie, smiling. "And, by way of punishing you, I have a great mind to tell you what the surprise is that your friends have prepared for you." "For me, madame, a surprise?"