Go and join the Princes. Your
mother will agree with me. I will lend you money for the journey."

"Ah, a thousand thanks, Uncle Joseph!" cried the young man. "But no, it
is not that at all." He lowered his voice suddenly. "I want to marry,"
he said.

"To marry! Angelot! You! In heaven's name, why?"

"Because I am in love."

"What a reason!"

Monsieur Joseph sat down again.

"This is serious," he said. "Sit down beside me on the bench, and tell
me all about it. It sounds like madness, and I always thought you were a
reasonable boy."

"It is madness in one way, I suppose," said Angelot. "And yet stranger
things have happened. In fact, of course, nothing else could happen."

Monsieur Joseph frowned and stared. His quick brain was running round
the neighbourhood and finding nobody; then it made an excursion at
lightning speed into the wilds of Brittany, where Angelot had sometimes
visited his mother's relations; but there again, as far as he knew, no
likely match was to be found. He was sure that Urbain and Anne had not
yet taken any steps to find a wife for Angelot; he also thought it was a
subject on which they were likely to disagree. And now the young rascal
had hit on somebody for himself. Might Heaven forbid that he had
followed modern theories and was ready to marry some woman of a rank
inferior to his own--some good-for-nothing who had attracted the
handsome, simple-hearted boy!

"No! He would not dare to tell me that," Monsieur Joseph said to
himself, and added aloud, "Who is the lady?"

There was a touch of severity in his tone; a foretaste, even from the
dear little uncle, of what was to be expected.

"But, dear uncle," Angelot said slowly, "it could only be one person."

"No--no, impossible!" said Monsieur Joseph, half to himself. "Angelot,
my boy--not--not there?" and he waved his hand in the direction of
Lancilly.

Angelot nodded. "You have seen her," he murmured; "you ought not to be
surprised. You have never seen any one half so beautiful."

Monsieur Joseph laughed outright. "Have I always lived at Les
Chouettes?" he said. "However, she is a pretty girl, fair, graceful,
distinguished. Riette had more to tell me about the younger ones; that
was only natural. Of course I have only exchanged a compliment with
Mademoiselle Helene. She looked to me cold and rather haughty--or
melancholy, perhaps. When have you spoken to her, Angelot? or is it
merely the sight of her which has given you this wil