Page:Georges Eekhoud - Escal Vigor, a novel.djvu/159

Rh Kehlmark would make the young shepherd the confidant of his love for the young farm-mistress. "He is too timid to declare himself directly to me," she said to herself, "he will open his mind at first to the youngster and will endeavour to learn from him the nature of my sentiments. He has chosen a rather sorry go-between. But he had no choice. Meanwhile, the solicitude that the Count shows the wicked rascal is meant rather for myself." And quite infatuated, the rough girl rejoiced at this perpetual intimacy of the Dykgrave with the scapegrace so long repudiated, almost denied by his relatives. She even came to soften the roughness and harshness of her behaviour towards her younger brother. She now cherished him, surrounded him with attentions, took trouble with his clothes, looked after his linen; to none of which luxuries had he ever before been accustomed. In order to explain this change of conduct, Claudie had taken Govaertz into her confidence as to her great matrimonial project. The Burgomaster, no less ambitious, applauded these lofty views, nor did he, for an instant, doubt of success. Following the example of his favourite child, he ceased to be rough