"
He kissed her hand very gracefully and tenderly as he made his
excuse; but there was a latent expression in his eye which was at
variance with the apparent spirit of his action. It was noticed
by nobody but observant and submissive Monsieur Lomaque, who
smiled to himself again, and drilled harder than ever at his hole
in the grass.
"I think Monsieur Trudaine was about to speak," said Madame
Danville. "Perhaps he will have no objection to let us hear what
he was going to say."
"None, madame," replied Trudaine, politely. "I was about to take
upon myself the blame of Rose's want of respect for believers in
omens, by confessing that I have always encouraged her to laugh
at superstitions of every kind."
"You a ridiculer of superstitions?" said Danville, turning
quickly on him. "You, who have built a laboratory; you, who are
an amateur professor of the occult arts of chemistry--a seeker
after the Elixir of Life. On my word of honor, you astonish me!"
There was an ironical politeness in his voice, look, and manner
as he said this, which his mother and his land-steward, Monsieur
Lomaque, evidently knew how to interpret. The first touched his
arm again and whispered, "Be careful!" the second suddenly grew
serious, and left off drilling his hole in the grass. Rose
neither heard the warning of Madame Danville, nor noticed the
alteration in Lomaque.
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