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Rh not today. You are too excited. Who knows? Perhaps I can open your eyes to your own feelings!"

A bit intimidated by the solemn tone in which the good woman had said these few words, Laurent restrained himself, and after a desultory conversation, went into the back room and took leave of the family.

A few days later Paridael came back to the Tilbaks'. Siska was valiantly busying herself with the preparations for their departure. Laurent having asked her for the promised explanation, she interrupted her work, and piercing him with an inquisitorial look:

"What I have to say to you, Laurent," she said, "is simply that you have never loved Henriette."

Laurent tried to protest, but while the clear, steady eyes of the worthy woman continued to look into his he would only blush and hang his head.

"And that because you are in love with another!" pursued Siska. "I can even tell you who she is: your cousin Gina become Madame Béjard. You need not deny it! Did you think you could hide that secret from me? Your troubled air when anyone talked of Madame Béjard; your own affectation never to talk of her, would have revealed it to diviners less adroit than myself. Yes, even Henriette knew in which direction your real love was tending. Surely, you are fond of our daughter. Under the impulse of your generous feelings you are even ready to marry her. But, at bottom, you would have continued to prefer the other one. The memory of her would have come between Henriette and yourself. And neither you nor your wife would have met with the happiness you both deserve. As soon as my child suspected your passion for Madame Béjard, I succeeded in completely opening her eyes, and cured her of her love for you … Ah! it