Nevertheless, about the time that Claude de Buxieres attained his thirty-
sixth year, it was noticed that he had a more settled air, and that his
habits were becoming more sedentary. The chase was still his favorite
pastime, but he frequented less places of questionable repute, seldom
slept away from home, and seemed to take greater pleasure in remaining
under his own roof. The cause of this change was ascribed by some to the
advance of years creeping over him; others, more perspicacious, verified
a curious coincidence between the entrance of a new servant in the
chateau and the sudden good behavior of Claude.

This girl, a native of Aprey, named Manette Sejournant, was not, strictly
speaking, a beauty, but she had magnificent blonde hair, gray, caressing
eyes, and a silvery, musical voice. Well built, supple as an adder,
modest and prudish in mien, she knew how to wait upon and cosset her
master, accustoming him by imperceptible degrees to prefer the cuisine of
the chateau to that of the wine-shops. After a while, by dint of making
her merits appreciated, and her presence continually desired, she became
the mistress of Odouart de Buxieres, whom she managed to retain by
proving herself immeasurably superior, both in culinary skill and in
sentiment, to the class of females from whom he had hitherto been seeking
his creature comforts.

Matters went on in this fashion for a year or so, until Manette went on a
three months' vacation. When she reappeared at the chateau, she brought
with her an infant, six weeks old, which she declared was the child of a
sister, lately deceased, but which bore a strange likeness to Claude.
However, nobody made remarks, especially as M. de Buxieres, after he had
been drinking a little, took no pains to hide his paternity. He himself
held the little fellow at the baptismal font, and later, consigned him to