passed into their minds the same wonder that had perplexed Elise Malboir;
so that they were troubled, as was she, each after his own manner and
temperament. Their reasoning, their feelings were different, but they
were coming to the point the girl had reached when she cried into the
darkness of the night, "Napoleon--Napoleon!"

They sat forgetful of the passing of time, the Cure preening with
pleasure because of Valmond's remarks upon the Church when quoting the
First Napoleon's praise of religion.

Suddenly a carriage came dashing up the hill, with four horses and a
postilion. The avocat was in the house searching for a book. De la
Riviere, seeing the carriage first, got to his feet with instant
excitement, and the others turned to look. As it neared the house, the
Cure took off his baretta, and smiled expectantly, a little red spot
burning on both cheeks. These deepened as the carriage stopped, and a
lady, a little lady like a golden flower, with sunny eyes and face--how
did she keep so fresh in their dusty roads?--stood up impulsively, and
before any one could reach the gate was entering herself, her blue eyes
swimming with the warmth of a kind heart--or a warm temperament, which
may exist without a kind heart.

Was it the heart, or the temperament, or both, that sent her forward with
hands outstretched, saying: "Ah, my dear, dear Cure, how glad I am to see
you once again! It is two years too long, dear Cure."

She held his hand in both of hers, and looked up into his eyes with a
smile at once child-like and naive--and masterful; for behind the
simplicity and the girlish manner there was a power, a mind, with which
this sweet golden hair and cheeks like a rose-garden had nothing to do.