Page:The Eyes of Innocence.djvu/172

168 proper young man. He seems on the best of terms with his mother. The young ladies are all gone on him. Bless my soul, he's a good-looking lad ... and it won't take long before he's turned all their heads ..."

Gilberte reflected:

"He's quite right to make himself amiable. It's the only way to get round his mother."

Nevertheless, she had to make a certain effort to look upon this as the only explanation of Guillaume's conduct.

Two more days followed without a letter. Then, one morning, Adèle came back from her shopping:

"Here's a bit of news!" she said. "There's no harm in telling you, now that you've got over things. M. Guillaume is engaged to the eldest Charmeron girl."

Gilberte burst out laughing:

"It's one of Mme. Duval's matches!"

"No, no, I hear it from others as well: the Bottentuits' servant told me; so did M. Beaufrelant's gardener. Mme. de la