He waited with feverish impatience for the postman's return.

Expecting news from Suzanne, and fearing with good reason his servant's
inquisitiveness, he had indeed asked him for the future to deliver his
letters to himself only.

He sought for various pretexts to send Veronica away, but the woman too
discovered excellent reasons for not going out.

She was present therefore, in spite of her master, at the delivery of the
mysterious letter.

Marcel's countenance at first displayed deep disappointment, but as he read
on, it was lighted up by a ray of joy.




XLVII.


GOOD NEWS.

"Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
O filii et filiae...
Et Maria Magdalena
Et Jacobi, et Salome!
Alleluia."

(_Easter-Mass Hymn_).