n the right and left by two long avenues
of immense poplar-trees (called _peuples_ in Normandy) which separated
the squire's residence from the two farms adjoining, one of which was
occupied by the Couillards, the other by the Martins. These _peuples_
had given the names to the chateau.

Beyond this enclosure lay a large piece of uncultivated ground covered
with gorse, over which the wind rustled and blew day and night. Then the
coast suddenly fell a hundred yards, forming a high, white cliff, the
foot of which was washed by the sea; and Jeanne gazed at the vast,
watery expanse whose waves seemed to be sleeping under the stars.

In this repose of nature, when the sun was absent, the earth gave out
all her perfumes. A jasmine, which had climbed round the lower windows,
exhaled its penetrating fragrance which united with the subtler odor of
the budding leaves, and the soft breeze brought with it the damp, salt
smell of the seaweeds and the beach.

At first the young girl gave herself up to the pleasure of simply
breathing, and the peace of the country calmed her as would a cool bath.
All the animals which wake at evening-time, and hide their obscure
existence in the peacefulness of the night, filled the clear darkness
with a silent restlessness. Great birds fled silently through the air
like shadows; the humming of invisible insects could be heard, and
noiseless races took place across the dewy grass or along the quiet
sandy roads. The short monotonous croak of the frogs was the only sound
that could be distinguished.

It seemed to Jeanne that her heart was getting bigger, becoming full of
whisperings like this clear evening, and of a thousand wandering desires
like these nocturnal insects whose quivering life surrounded her. An
unconscious sympathy drew her towards this living poetry and she felt
that joy and happiness were floating towards her through the soft white
night, and she began to dream of love.

Love! For two years she had been anxiously awaiting the time when it
would come to her, and now she was free to love, she had only to
meet--him! What should he be like? She did not know, and did not trouble
herself even to think about it. _He_ would be _himself_, that was
enough. She only knew that she should adore him with her whole heart,
and that he would love her with all his strength, and she pictured
herself walking with him on evenings such as this, under the luminous
glow of the stars. They would walk hand