and in purpose, than her aunt; but she maintained, almost
unconsciously, many of the ways in the house which she had assumed
when she first entered it. Then she had always been on foot, to be
everybody's messenger,--and so she was now. When her uncle and aunt
were at their meals she was always up and about,--attending them,
attending the public guests, attending the whole house. And it
seemed as though she herself never sat down to eat or drink.
Indeed, it was rare enough to find her seated at all. She would
have a cup of coffee standing up at the little desk near the public
window when she kept her books, or would take a morsel of meat as
she helped to remove the dishes. She would stand sometimes for a
minute leaning on the back of her uncle's chair as he sat at his
supper, and would say, when he bade her to take her chair and eat
with them, that she preferred picking and stealing. In all things
she worshipped her uncle, observing his movements, caring for his
wants, and carrying out his plans. She did not worship her aunt,
but she so served Madame Voss that had she been withdrawn from the
household Madame Voss would have found herself altogether unable to
provide for its wants. Thus Marie Bromar had become the guardian
angel of the Lion d'Or at Granpere.

There must be a word or two more said of the difference between
George Voss and his father which had ended in sending George to
Colmar; a word or two about that, and a word also of what occurred
between George and Marie. Then we shall be able to commence our
story without farther reference to things past. As Michel Voss was
a just, affectionate, and intelligent man, he would not probably
have objected to a marriage between the two young people, had the
proposition for such a marriage been first submitted to him, with a
proper amount of attention to his judgment and controlling power.