incent at Cap."

"He was not there; but he knew all--"

"But, father," said Aimee, "you will see General Vincent. You will see
him at Pongaudin. Now that you have done as he did--now that you are
friends with the French, as he is, you will see him, father?"

"I have never done as Vincent did, Aimee; and my friendship with the
French is what it ever was. If Vincent comes as your husband, I will
see him as such. As a friend, I cannot. Is he your husband, my love?"

"No!"

"He is to be your husband?"

"If you would see him. If he were your friend. He urges me, father;
and Madame Leclerc and Isaac urge me; but I cannot marry him yet.
Father, you do not know how much my heart is with you and my mother."

"Are you happy, Aimee?"

"Madame Leclerc is very kind; and Vincent's love is everything that
ought to make me happy, but--"

"Will you go home with me, my child?"

"How glad I should be, if only you loved Vincent!"

"I cannot, Aimee. Would that I could!"

"Then, when I have married him, you will see him as my husband? I
cannot marry till my heart is more at ease--till I see everybody as
friendly as Vincent said they were. But when we are married we will
come to Pongaudin. May we?"

"Come, my dear, when you will. Your parents' home and hearts will
always be open to you. Meantime, write often to us, Aimee."

"Oh, yes! I will. I will write very often; and you will answer. I
have heard perpetually of my mother, and of poor Genifrede. But where
is Placide? I thought we should have met him. Was not he at Cap?"

"At Cap! No, indeed! He was too heart-broken to be at Cap to-day."

"I wish I could understand it all!" said Aimee, sadly. "I am sure there
are many things that I do not know or comprehend. I thought all had
been right now; and yet you and Placide are unhappy. I cannot
understand it all."

"Time will explain, my child. There will come a day when all doubts
will be cleared up, and all woes at an end--when the wicked will cease
from troubling, love, and the weary be at rest."

"Must you be going, father, already? Oh! I wish--"

And she looked at Isaac, as if purposing to go to Pongaudin. Isaac,
had, however, promised Madame Leclerc to return by an appointed hour.
There could be no difficulty, he said, in going to Pongaudin any day:
but to-day he had promised that they would both return to Madame
Leclerc. Aimee, therefore, bade her father farewell for the present--
only for