Louis,
I remembered all we owed to him; I remembered that there was no
sacrifice we ought not to be too glad to make for his sake; I
felt the kindness of the wish he had expressed; and perhaps I was
a little influenced by my own impatience to see once more my
flower-garden and the rooms where we used to be so happy. So I
said to him, 'I am sure Louis will agree with me that our time is
yours, and that we shall be only too glad to advance our
departure so as to make traveling leisure enough for you to come
with us to Rouen. We should be worse than ungrateful--' He
stopped me. 'You have always been good to me,' he said. 'I must
not impose on your kindness now. No, no, you have formalities to
settle before you can leave this place.' 'Not one,' I said--for
we have not, as you know, Louis? 'Why, here is your furniture to
begin with,' he said. 'A few chairs and tables hired from the
inn,' I answered; 'we have only to give the landlady our key, to
leave a letter for the owner of the cottage, and then--' He
laughed. 'Why, to hear you talk, one would think you were as
ready to travel as I am!' 'So we are,' I said, 'quite as ready,
living in the way we do here.' He shook his head; but you will
not shake yours, Louis, I am sure, now you have heard all my long
story? You can't blame me can you?"
Before Trudaine could answer, Lomaque looked out of the cottage
window.
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