A Woodland Queen — Volume 2 by André Theuriet
page 55 of 71 (77%)
page 55 of 71 (77%)
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painful struggle was going on within him. The splendors of the setting
sun had merged into the dusky twilight, and the last piping notes of the birds sounded faintly among the sombre trees. A fresh breeze had sprung up, and filled the darkening room with the odor of honeysuckle. Under the soothing influence of the falling night, Julien slowly raised his head, and addressing Claudet in a low and measured voice like a father confessor interrogating a penitent, said: "Does Reine know that you love her?" "I think she must suspect it," replied Claudet, "although I never have ventured to declare myself squarely. But girls are very quick, Reine especially. They soon begin to suspect there is some love at bottom, when a young man begins to hang around them too frequently." "You see her often, then?" "Not as often as I should like. But, you know, when one lives in the same district, one has opportunities of meeting--at the beech harvest, in the woods, at the church door. And when you meet, you talk but little, making the most of your time. Still, you must not suppose, as I think you did, that we have rendezvous in the evening. Reine respects herself too much to go about at night with a young man as escort, and besides, she has other fish to fry. She has a great deal to do at the farm, since her father has become an invalid." "Well, do you think she loves you?" said Julien, with a movement of nervous irritation. |
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