sulky look because he had just been
washed. He had not been properly dried, and one check was still wet
and fiery-red with the rubbing of the towel. When he caught sight of
Jeanne he stood stock-still with astonishment. She looked at him out
of her poor, sickly face, as colorless as linen against the background
of her streaming black hair, whose tresses fell in clusters to her
shoulders. Her beautiful, sad, dilated eyes seemed to fill up her
whole countenance; and, despite the excessive heat, she shivered
somewhat, and stretched out her hands as though chilled and seeking
warmth from a blazing fire.

"Well! aren't you going to kiss her?" asked Juliette.

But Lucien looked rather afraid. At length he made up his mind, and
very cautiously protruded his lips so that he might not come too near
the invalid. This done, he started back expeditiously. Helene's eyes
were brimming over with tears. What health that child enjoyed! whereas
her Jeanne was breathless after a walk round the lawn! Some mothers
were very fortunate! Juliette all at once understood how cruel
Lucien's conduct was, and she rated him soundly.

"Good gracious! what a fool you are! Is that the way to kiss young
ladies? You've no idea, my dear, what a nuisance he was at Trouville."

She was getting somewhat mixed. But fortunately for her the doctor now
made his appearance, and she extricated herself from her difficulty by
exclaiming: "Oh, here's Henri."

He had not been expecting their return until the evening, but she had
travelled by an earlier train. She plunged into a discursive
explanation, without in the least making her reasons clear. The doctor
listened with a smiling face. "At all events, here you are," he said.
"That's all that's necessary."

A minute previously he had bowed to Helene without speaking. His
glance for a moment fell on Jeanne, but feeling embarrassed he turned
away his head. Jeanne bore his look with a serious face, and
unclasping her hands instinctively grasped her mother's gown and drew
closer to her side.

"Ah! the rascal," said the doctor, as he raised Lucien and kissed him
on each cheek. "Why, he's growing like magic."

"Yes; and am I to be forgotten?" asked Juliette, as she held up her
head. Then, without putting Lucien down, holding him, indeed, on one
arm, the doctor leaned over to kiss his wife. Their three faces were
lit up with smiles.

Helene grew pale, and declared she must now go up. Jeanne, however,
was unwilli