eat,
her little sewing-chair, and, unbidden, sang some of the wild, old
strains to which he had often listened in the ancient chateau. The sigh
he heaved was one of pleasure, as though his heart felt too full, but
not of care. Madeleine sang on, ballad after ballad, for she could not
pause while he appeared to be so calmly happy, and her voice only died
away as she felt the hand that clasped hers relax its hold, and, looking
up, she found that her patient was gently slumbering.

Maurice had sat listening and gazing as one spellbound, but Madeleine
roused him by saying,--

"It is long past your usual hour for visiting your grandmother. Had you
not better go? I think it likely your father will sleep some time. The
change of scene and the fresh air have lulled him into a tranquil
slumber."

"And your voice had nothing to do with his rest?" asked Maurice,
tenderly.

"Any old crone's would serve as well for a lullaby," she answered,
playfully. "Now go, and be sure you find out whether the countess liked
the chocolate and those Normandy cakes."

CHAPTER XLIII.

OUTGENERALLED.

Madame de Gramont welcomed Maurice that morning with more animation than
she had evinced during her illness. He did not anticipate finding her in
the drawing-room; and was even more surprised to see her not in an
invalid's _deshabille_, but dressed for visitors; not reclining, but
sitting up almost as stiffly as in the days of her grandeur. He
congratulated her upon her convalescence with mingled warmth and
astonishment.

"Thank you, I am quite well," she replied; though her colorless lips and
wan, sunken face solemnly contradicted the words. "How is your father?"
This question was asked apparently with newly-awakened anxiety; for of
late she had made no inquiries, but listened in silence to Maurice's
daily report, and turned sullenly from him as though he were responsible
for its unfavorable nature.

He now answered in an unusually cheerful tone,--

"My father is better, much better, to-day; improving fast, I think."

Some of the old triumphant light flashed out of the countess' black eyes
as she ejaculated,--

"Thank God! Then he can be brought here at once!"

Maurice perceived his mistake too late. He had not foreseen that the
countess would have drawn this conclusion from the intelligence just
communicated.

"My dear grandmother, you cannot think of desiring to remove my father
at present?"

"Cannot think of it? What ot