, who was jealously
carrying her off for himself alone to a quiet and solitary retreat.

They had arrived Thursday, the 24th of June, at about two o'clock--on an
exquisite night beneath a star-spangled sky--and they were suddenly
astounded at receiving a letter from their Aunt Louise, dated July 1:

"Eight days' steady tete-a-tete," she wrote, "is enough, quite enough.
Trust to the experience of an old countrywoman, who would be delighted
to kiss her little nephew and niece. Don't eat all your love in the
bud--keep a little for the future."

Thursday, the 1st of July! Eight days! They had been eight days at
Lannilis! It was impossible! They tried to put some order in their
reflections. What had they done Friday, Saturday, and Sunday? But all
was vague, and became confused in their minds. The days and the nights,
and the nights and days. What had they done? It was always the same,
same thing; and the same thing had somehow never been the same thing.

They had just loved, loved, loved; and, quite given up to this very wise
occupation, they had completely forgotten that near Lannilis, in the old
residence of Chatellerault, there was dear old Aunt Louise, who was
expecting their first bridal visit--a visit which was due her, for she
had the best claim in the world, on account of her eighty-four years,
her kindness, and also because of the gift of a magnificent pearl
necklace to Marceline.

So it was necessary to be resigned, to leave off dreaming, and to come
back to reality; and it was during this visit that, before the old aunt,
much amused at the quarrel, this great dispute had abruptly burst forth
between the young married couple.

Aunt Louise had accepted the position of arbitrator, and, presiding over
the discussion, she had made the two contestants sit down before her in
arm-chairs, at a respectful distance. Marceline, before being seated,
had already taken the floor.

"Every one agreed upon this point (you know it, Aunt Louise; mamma must
often have told you in her letters)--every one was agreed on this point:
that there were really only two suitable matches for me--the Duke of
Lannilis here present, and the Duke of Courtalin. I had the weakness to
prefer him--him over there. Why? I can scarcely tell-a childish habit,
doubtless. We had played together when we were no higher than that at
being little husband and wife. I had remained faithful to that childhood
love, whereas he--"

"Whereas I--"

"All in due