fading distance. A black spot, which they had just observed in the
middle of the river, caught a gleam of light in passing a low meadow
between two hills, and for a moment took shape as a barge, then was lost
again, and could not be distinguished from the water. Another moment, and
it reappeared more distinctly; it was indeed a barge, and now the horse
could be seen towing it against the current. Again it was lost at a bend
of the river shaded by willows, and they had to resign themselves to
incertitude for several minutes. Then a white handkerchief was waved on
the prow of the boat, and Monsieur de Lamotte uttered a joyful
exclamation.

"It is indeed they!" he cried. "Do you see them, Monsieur le cure? I see
my boy; he is waving the handkerchief, and his mother is with him. But I
think there is a third person--yes, there is a man, is there not? Look
well."

"Indeed," said the cure, "if my bad sight does not deceive me, I should
say there was someone seated near the rudder; but it looks like a child."

"Probably someone from the neighbourhood, who has profited by the chance
of a lift home."

The boat was advancing rapidly; they could now hear the cracking of the
whip with which the servant urged on the tow-horse. And now it stopped,
at an easy landing-place, barely fifty paces from the terrace. Madame de
Lamotte landed with her son and the stranger, and her husband descended
from the terrace to meet her. Long before he arrived at the garden gate,
his son's arms were around his neck.

"Are you quite well, Edouard ?"