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Rh wanted to find some sorrowful traces of her unknown existence, some blemish, some evidence of depravity something new and more withered. But no, she was paler, and that was all. And I burst into tears.

"Sit still, I want to look at you more, my little Juliette!"

She drank in my tears and wept, holding me in a close embrace.

"My Jean! Ah, my adored Jean!"

Mother Le Gannec rapped at the door of the room. She did not speak to Juliette, pretending not to see her.

"What shall I do with the trunks, friend Mintie?" she asked.

"Have some one bring them up here, Mother Le Gannec."

"You could not bring them all up here," the old woman harshly replied.

"Have you got many of them, dearie?"

"Many? Why no! There are only six. These people are stupid!"

"Well, Mother Le Gannec," I said, "keep them downstairs tonight. We shall see tomorrow."

I got up, while Juliette examined the room, occasionally exclaiming:

"Why, it's so nice here! There's a lot of fun here, my dear. And you have a bed, too, a real bed. And I thought they slept in wardrobes in Brittany! Ah! What is that? Don't stir, Jean, don't stir."

From the mantlepiece she took a large shell and put it to her ear.

"Wait!" she said with disappointment. "Wait now, it does not make that sh-sh-sh sound. Why is that?"

She suddenly rushed into my arms and covered me with kisses.

"Ah! your beard! You are growing whiskers, you