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Rh to lie alone at the Countess's, that I fear a companion would disturb me.'

"'Comme vous voulez,' said the old woman, 'cela m'est égal, since our spare room is unoccupied. Hier au soir nous avions du monde, and I could not have accommodated you.'

"'Who was that ?' thought Julie, 'was it the person I seek, and where is he now?' She would have been glad to ask some questions about the lodger the old woman spoke of, but she did not know how to manage it.

"'They are mostly travellers, strangers, that you accommodate, I suppose?' she said.

"'Sometimes,' said the old woman, but oftener servants out of place, like yourself. Mais voulez vous souper?'

"Julie had little inclination to eat, especially any thing she was likely to get there; but her object was to make herself welcome, so she accepted the offer with all the alacrity she could assume.

"'He is your son, then, Monsieur Rodolphe?' said Julie to the hostess, who with more activity than she would have imagined her capable of, was preparing the repast.

"'Yes, he's my son,' replied the old woman, 'seul enfant, d'un mariage infortuné.'

"'Cependant, il a l'air très comme il fatu ce Mr. Rodolphe,' observed Julie.