answered
that she wasn't ill, that she felt no pain. Doubtless her cold was
coming to an end. Helene, tranquillized by the explanation, and having
no adequate idea of what was going on around her, retained, however,
in her bosom, amidst the rapture that made up her life, a vague
feeling of sorrow, of some weight that made her heart bleed despite
herself. At times, when she was plunged in one of those causeless
transports which made her melt with tenderness, an anxious thought
would come to her--she imagined that some misfortune was hovering
behind her. She turned round, however, and then smiled. People are
ever in a tremble when they are too happy. There was nothing there.
Jeanne had coughed a moment before, but she had some _tisane_ to
drink; there would be no ill effects.

However, one afternoon old Doctor Bodin, who visited them in the
character of a family friend, prolonged his stay, and stealthily, but
carefully, examined Jeanne with his little blue eyes. He questioned
her as though he were having some fun with her, and on this occasion
uttered no warning word. Two days later, however, he made his
appearance again; and this time, not troubling to examine Jeanne, he
talked away merrily in the fashion of a man who has seen many years
and many things, and turned the conversation on travelling. He had
once served as a military surgeon; he knew every corner of Italy. It
was a magnificent country, said he, which to be admired ought to be
seen in spring. Why didn't Madame Grandjean take her daughter there?
From this he proceeded by easy transitions to advising a trip to the
land of the sun, as he styled it. Helene's eyes were bent on him
fixedly. "No, no," he exclaimed, "neither of you is ill! Oh, no,
certainly not! Still, a change of air would mean new strength!" Her
face had blanched, a mortal chill had come over her at the thought of
leaving Paris. Gracious heavens! to go away so far, so far! to lose
Henri in a moment, their love to droop without a morrow! Such was the
agony which the thought gave her that she bent her head towards Jeanne
to hide her emotion. Did Jeanne wish to go away? The child, with a
chilly gesture, had intertwined her little fingers. Oh! yes, she would
so like to go! She would so like to go away into the sunny land, quite
alone, she and her mother, quite alone! And over her poor attenuated
face with its cheeks burning with fever, there swept the bright hope
of a new life. But Helene would listen