r woman has shown in the motherless Adele, we choose rather to
leave the matter unexplained, and to regard the invalid enthusiast as
one whose sympathies have fastened in a strange way upon the exiled
French girl, and grow all the stronger by the difficulties in the way of
their full expression.

Madame Arles did not forego either her solicitude or the persistence of
her inquiry under the harsh rebuff of the Doctor. Again and again, after
nightfall, he saw her figure flitting back and forth upon the street,
over against Adele's window; and the good man perplexed himself vainly
with a hundred queries as to what such strange conduct could mean. The
village physician, too, had been addressed by this anxious lady with a
tumult of questionings; and the old gentleman--upon whose sympathies the
eager inquirer had won an easier approach than upon those of the severe
parson--had taken hearty satisfaction in assuring her, within a few days
after the night interview we have detailed, that the poor girl was
mending, was out of danger, in fact, and would be presently in a
condition to report for herself.

After this, and through the long convalescence, Madame Arles was seen
more rarely upon the village street. Yet the town gossips were busy with
the character and habits of the "foreign lady." Her devotion to the
little child of the outcast Boody woman was most searchingly discussed
at all the tea-tables of the place; and it was special object of
scandal, that the foreign lady, neglectful of the Sabbath ministrations
of the parson, was frequently to be seen wandering about the fields in
"meeting-time," attended very likely by that poor wee thing of a child,
upon whose head the good people all visited, with terrible frowns, the
sins of the parents. No woman, of whatever condition, could maintain a
good reputation in Ashfield under such circumstances. Dame Tourtelot
enjoyed a good sharp fling at the "trollop."

"I allers said she was a bad woman," submitted the stout Dame; and her
audience (consisting of the Deacon and Miss Almiry) would have had no
more thought of questioning the implied decision than of cutting down
the meeting-house steeple.

"And I'm afeard," continued the Dame, "that Adeel isn't much better; she
keeps a crucifix in her chamber!--needn't to look at me,
Tourtelot!--Miss Johns told me all about it, and I don't think the
parson should allow it. I think you oughter speak to the parson,
Tourtelot."

The good Deaco