ntre is gay
herself."

"She is everything that is good. You will not be vexed to hear that she
has been gayer for a couple of months past than she had been in many a
day before."

Newman was delighted to gather this testimony to the prosperity of his
suit, but he repressed all violent marks of elation. "Has Madame de
Cintre been in bad spirits before this?" he asked.

"Poor lady, she had good reason. M. de Cintre was no husband for a sweet
young lady like that. And then, as I say, it has been a sad house. It is
better, in my humble opinion, that she were out of it. So, if you will
excuse me for saying so, I hope she will marry you."

"I hope she will!" said Newman.

"But you must not lose courage, sir, if she doesn't make up her mind at
once. That is what I wanted to beg of you, sir. Don't give it up, sir.
You will not take it ill if I say it's a great risk for any lady at any
time; all the more when she has got rid of one bad bargain. But if she
can marry a good, kind, respectable gentleman, I think she had better
make up her mind to it. They speak very well of you, sir, in the house,
and, if you will allow me to say so, I like your face. You have a very
different appearance from the late count, he wasn't five feet high. And
they say your fortune is beyond everything. There's no harm in that. So
I beseech you to be patient, sir, and bide your time. If I don't say
this to you, sir, perhaps no one will. Of course it is not for me to
make any promises. I can answer for nothing. But I think your chance is
not so bad, sir. I am nothing but a weary old woman in my quiet corner,
but one woman understands another, and I think I make out the countess.
I received her in my arms when she came into the world and her first
wedding day was the saddest of my life. She owes it to me to show me
another and a brighter one. If you will hold firm, sir--and you look as
if you would--I think we may see it."

"I am much obliged to you for your encouragement," said Newman,
heartily. "One can't have too much. I mean to hold firm. And if Madame
de Cintre marries me you must come and live with her."

The old woman looked at him strangely, with her soft, lifeless eyes. "It
may seem a heartless thing to say, sir, when one has been forty years in
a house, but I may tell you that I should like to leave this place."

"Why, it's just the time to say it," said Newman, fervently. "After
forty years one wants a change."

"You are very kind, si