“You’ve been worrying about it, too, then?” said his wife. “And you’ve said nothing about it all to me.” “What was the use in making you worry? You are already so tired.” “Yes, when I ought to be strong, too. A mother needs strength. But you have enough for us both.” He went on: “We were wrong in having him go into Frasnes’s offices. I wanted him to get into the way of a business practice, especially assignments and liquidations, before he made his début at the bar. Frasne is the successor of Mr. Clairval, who was my friend, and our own solicitor. I respected the tradition of the family, and that’s just where I made my mistake. However, everything will be different very soon now.” “Soon?” “Yes. I shall be taking Maurice into my office: he can finish his first stage there. Or else he can study proceedings with Marcellaz. When we move back to town I’ll look round and see.” “Good,” she said, pressing his hand. “There will be less occasion for him to meet her. But that isn’t enough in itself. You find him reasonable. I think him rather a bit romantic. I should prefer to turn his fancy somewhere else.” “But how?” “Well, an early engagement, for instance. Early engagements make young people think and develop character. In France I think we hasten marriage too much, when you consider that marriage disposes of life and family and a future all in one.” “It’s true.” “Margaret has thought of little Jeanne Sassenay for Maurice.” “But she’s only a child yet.” “A pretty one, though, and brought up by a lovely mother.” Her last words were cut short by shrill young voices squalling out: “Good-evening, grandmother! Good-evening, grandfather!” It was the advance guard, Peter and Adrienne, out of breath with running, just over the edge of the hill, and tumbling out on the level ground. They struggled to make more speed in spite of the “Not so fast, not so fast,” from Mrs. Roquevillard, and their grandfather caught them on the wing. “You know, grand-dad,” said Adrienne, who was very talkative, and spoke familiarly to everybody, being no respecter of persons, “Julian stayed behind with Aunt Margaret, and mamma ordered him to come with us.” Half-way down the hill the young people who were coming up cried out in their turn: “Good-evening!” Only Maurice and Mrs. Frasne were too far away to join in these family greetings. By tacit consent, they both walked more and more slowly as they approached the summit, and following all the windings of the path they had managed to get a further considerable space between themselves and the others, although Margaret had turned several times and called to them. The mountain was hidden from them by the close angle of the hillside, so that they saw the figures of Mr. and Mrs. Roquevillard in silhouette against the clear sky. Mrs. Frasne turned an enigmatic smile upon her companion, whom their tête-à-tête was making languid.