de
Marignac, who had been her friend too, the young man's mother's, he was
gentler, if more detached, than before. Gaston had already felt him to
care in consequence less for everything--except indeed for the true
faith, to which he drew still closer--and this increase of indifference
doubtless helped to explain his present charming accommodation.
"We shall be thankful for any rooms you may give us," his son said. "We
shall fill out the house a little, and won't that be rather an
improvement, shrunken as you and I have become?"
"You'll fill it out a good deal, I suppose, with Mr. Dosson and the
other girl."
"Ah Francie won't give up her father and sister, certainly; and what
should you think of her if she did? But they're not intrusive; they're
essentially modest people; they won't put themselves upon us. They have
great natural discretion," Gaston declared.
"Do you answer for that? Susan does; she's always assuring one of it,"
Mr. Probert said. "The father has so much that he wouldn't even speak to
me."
"He didn't, poor dear man, know what to say."
"How then shall I know what to say to HIM?"
"Ah you always know!" Gaston smiled.
"How will that help us if he doesn't know what to answer?"
"You'll draw him out.
Pages:
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133