father and mother and uncle
were just going, when mamma called them back. She said to papa and them
that she wished to consult the family. Oh, what is it all about? What
can it be?"

"That matters very little as long as they don't want us. Let them talk.
What are you afraid of, my sweet?"

"I can't tell you. I hardly know," murmured Helene; and in the next
instant she had snatched herself from him and flown upstairs.

There were quick steps in the hall below, and Monsieur Joseph's voice
was calling "Angelot!"

CHAPTER X

HOW ANGELOT REFUSED WHAT HAD NOT BEEN OFFERED

Madame de Sainfoy herself hardly knew why she wished to consult the
family, there and then, on the fate proposed for Helene. The truth was,
she relied on Urbain, and wanted his support against her husband, with
whom the subject was a difficult one. As to Anne de la Mariniere, no
particular sympathy was to be expected from her, certainly; but one
could not detain Urbain at that hour without detaining her too. It was
the same with Joseph, in a less degree. Neither to him nor to Madame
Urbain did it matter in the least what marriage was arranged for Helene
de Sainfoy; they had even no right to an opinion; they were neither aunt
nor uncle, they had no special place in the world, and the girl had
nothing to expect from them. But Madame de Sainfoy knew that her husband
took a different view of all this, that he made a certain fuss with
these old cousins, considered them as his family, and would not endure
that they should be in any way shut out or slighted.

"He likes to be surrounded by these country admirers," Madame de
Sainfoy would have said. "If I do not talk to them about this, he will;
and it will please him that I should consult them. Urbain is different,
of course. Urbain is a sensible man; he will be on my side."

So she put Madame Urbain, rather grave, indifferent, and tired, into a
chair on her right, smiled brilliantly upon her, and turned her
attention upon the two men standing before the fireplace, Herve and
Urbain, one troubled and curious, for he knew her well, and her drift
puzzled him, the other gay, serene, and waiting her commands with ready
deference. Monsieur Joseph, not much interested, thinking of his talks
with the Prefect and Monsieur des Barres, impatient to hurry home and
say good night to Riette, sat a little in the background.

With all her eagerness, with all her ambition and policy, Adelaide de
Sainfoy flushed