"I ate my prawns this morning," she added, "and they were excellent. If you felt inclined we might go again one of these days." The young man interrupted her: "Before we start on a second fishing excursion, suppose we complete the first?" "Complete it? It seems to me quite finished." "Nay, madame, I, for my part, caught something on the rocks of Saint Jouin which I am anxious to carry home with me." She put on an innocent and knowing look. "You? What can it be? What can you have found?" "A wife. And my mother and I have come to ask you whether she has changed her mind this morning." She smiled: "No, monsieur. I never change my mind." And then he held out his hand, wide open, and she put hers into it with a quick, determined movement. Then he said: "As soon as possible, I hope." "As soon as you like." "In six weeks?" "I have no opinion. What does my future mother-in-law say?" Mme. Roland replied with a rather melancholy smile: "I? Oh, I can say nothing. I can only thank you for having accepted Jean, for you will make him very happy." "We will do our best, mamma." Somewhat overcome, for the first time, Mme. Rosemilly rose, and throwing her arms round Mme. Roland, kissed her a long time as a child of her own might have done; and under this new embrace the poor woman's sick heart swelled with deep emotion. She could not have expressed the feeling; it was at once sad and sweet. She had lost her son, her big boy, but in return she had found a daughter, a grown-up daughter. When they faced each other again, and were seated, they took hands and remained so, looking at each other and smiling, while they seemed to have forgotten Jean. Then they discussed a number of things which had to be thought of in view of an early marriage, and when everything was settled and decided Mme. Rosemilly seemed suddenly to remember a further detail and asked: "You have consulted M. Roland, I suppose?" A flush of color mounted at the same instant to the face of both mother and son. It was the mother who replied: "Oh, no, it is quite unnecessary!" Then she hesitated, feeling that some explanation was needed, and added: "We do everything without saying anything to him. It is enough to tell him what we have decided on." Mme. Rosemilly, not in the least surprised, only smiled, taking it as a matter of course, for the good man counted for so little. When Mme. Roland was in the street again with her son she said: "Suppose we go to your rooms for a little while. I should be glad to rest." She felt herself homeless, shelterless, her own house being a terror to her. They went into Jean's apartments.