The two women looked each other in the face: one wondering, uncertain, half afraid; the other angry, defiant, jealous, feeling her power, and glad, I suppose, to find some possible and apparent cause of irritation by which to let loose the storm in her breast of confused irritation and pain. Miss Susan looked at her and felt frightened; she had even begun to share in the sentiment which made her accomplice so bitter and fierce; she answered, with something like humility, in her atrocious French: “Je parle d’un monsieur que vous avez vu, qui est allez ici, qui a parlé à vous de l’Angleterre. M. Austin et vous allez changer votre idées,--et je veux dire à cet monsieur que quelque chose de différent est venu, que vous n’est pas de même esprit que avant. Voici!” said Miss Susan, rather pleased with herself for having got on so far in a breath. “Je signifie cela--c’est-à-dire, je offrir mon service pour assister votre mari changer la chose qu’il a faites.” “Oui, mon amie,” said M. Austin, “pour casser l’affaire--le contrat que nous avons fait, vous et moi, et que d’ailleurs n’a jamais été exécuté; c’est sa; I shall write, and madame will explique, and all will be made as at first. The gentleman was kind. I should never have known my rights, nor anything about the beautiful house that belongs to us--” “That may belong to you, on my poor boy’s death,” said Miss Susan, correcting him. “Assuredly; after the death of M. le propriétaire actuel. Yes, yes, that is understood. Madame will explain to ce monsieur how the situation has changed, and how the contract is at least suspended in the meantime.” “Until the event,” said Miss Susan. “Until the event, assuredly,” said M. Austin, rubbing his hands. “Until the event,” said Madame Austin, recovering herself under this discussion of details. “But it will be wise to treat ce monsieur with much gentleness,” she added; “he must be ménagé; for figure to yourself that it might be a girl, and he might no longer wish to pay the money proposed, mon ami. He must be managed with great care. Perhaps if I were myself to go to England to see this monsieur--” “Mon ange! it would fatigue you to death.” “It is true; and then a country so strange--a cuisine abominable. But I should not hesitate to sacrifice myself, as you well know, Guillaume, were it necessary. Write then, and we will see by his reply if he is angry, and I can go afterward if it is needful.” “And madame, who is so kind, who has so much bounty for us,” said the old man, “madame will explain.” Once more the two women looked at each other. They had been so cordial yesterday, why were not they cordial to-day? “How is it that madame has so much bounty for us?” said the old Flemish woman, half aside. “She has no doubt her own reasons?”