uctive to insects, refreshes earth:
so she. So sang the rhapsodist. Possibly a scholarly little French
gentleman, going down the grey slopes of sixty to second childishness,
recovers a second juvenility in these enthusiasms; though what it is
that inspires our matrons to take up with them is unimaginable. M.
Livret's ardour was a contrast to the young Englishman's vacant gaze at
Diane, and the symbols of her goddesship running along the walls, the
bed, the cabinets, everywhere that the chaste device could find frontage
and a corner.

M. d'Orbec remained outside the chateau inspecting the fish-ponds.
When they rejoined him he complimented Beauchamp semi-ironically on his
choice of the river's quiet charms in preference to the dusty roads.
Madame de Rouaillout said, 'Come, M. d'Orbec; what if you surrender your
horse to M. Beauchamp, and row me back?' He changed colour, hesitated,
and declined he had an engagement to call on M. d'Henriel.

'When did you see him?' said she.

He was confused. 'It is not long since, madame.'

'On the road?'

'Coming along-the road.'

'And our glove?'

'Madame la Marquise, if I may trust my memory, M. d'Henriel was not in
official costume.'

Renee allowed herself to be reassured.

A ceremonious visit that M. Livret insisted on was paid to the chapel of
Diane, where she had worshipped and laid her widowed ashes, which, said
M. Livret, the fiends of the Revolution would not let rest.

He raised his voice to denounce them.

It was Roland de Croisnel that answered: 'The Revolution was our
grandmother, monsieur, and I cannot hear her abused.'

Renee caught her brother by the hand. He stepped out of the chapel with
Beauchamp to embrace him; then kissed Renee, and, remarking that she was
pale, fetched flooding colour to her cheeks. He was hearty air to them
after the sentimentalism they had been hearing. Beauchamp and he walked
like loving comrades at school, questioning, answering, chattering,
laughing,--a beautiful sight to Renee, and she looked at Agrnes
d'Auffray to ask her whether 'this Englishman' was not one of them in
his frankness and freshness.

Roland stopped to turn to Renee. 'I met d'Henriel on my ride here,' he
said with a sharp inquisitive expression of eye that passed immediately.

'You rode here from Tourdestelle, then,' said Renee.

'Has he been one of the company, marquise?'

'Did he ride by you without speaking, Roland?'

'Thus.' Roland described a Spanish c