"Charles,"
said the young girl, amazedly, "how flushed your face is, and how
your arm trembles!"
He controlled himself in a moment, smiled, and said to her:
"Can't you guess why, Rose? I am thinking of to-morrow." While he
was speaking, he passed close by the land-steward, on his way
back to the house with the ladies. The smile returned to Monsieur
Lomaque's lean face, and a curious light twinkled in his
red-rimmed eyes as he began a fresh hole in the grass.
"Won't you go indoors, and take some coffee?" asked Trudaine,
touching the land-steward on the arm.
Monsieur Lomaque started a little and left his cane sticking in
the ground. "A thousand thanks, monsieur," he said; "may I be
allowed to follow you?"
"I confess the beauty of the evening makes me a little unwilling
to leave this place just yet."
"Ah! the beauties of Nature--I feel them with you, Monsieur
Trudaine; I feel them here." Saying this, Lomaque laid one hand
on his heart, and with the other pulled his stick out of the
grass. He had looked as little at the landscape or the setting
sun as Monsieur Justin himself.
They sat down, side by side, on the empty bench; and then there
followed an awkward pause. Submissive Lomaque was too discreet to
forget his place, and venture on starting a new topic. Trudaine
was preoccupied, and disinclined to talk. It was necessary,
however, in common politeness, to say something.
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