must yourself
be kind to him; and it would be a charitable action: you would make four
unhappy people happy, or, at least, put them on the road; NOW they are
off the road, and, by what I have seen to-day, I think, if we go on so
much longer, it will be too late to try to return. Come, Josephine,
for my sake! Let me go and tell him you will consent--to all our
happinesses. There, the crime is mine." And she ran off in spite of
Josephine's faint and hypocritical entreaties. She returns the next
minute looking all aghast. "It is too late," said she. "He is going
away. I am sure he is, for he is packing up his things to go. I spied
through the old place and saw him. He was sighing like a furnace as he
strapped his portmanteau. I hate him, of course, but I was sorry for
him. I could not help being. He sighed so all the time, piteously."

Josephine turned pale, and lifted her hands in surprise and dismay.

"Depend on it, Josephine, we are wrong," said Rose, firmly: "these
wretches will not stand our nonsense above a certain time: they are not
such fools. We are mismanaging: one gone, the other going; both losing
faith in us."

Josephine's color returned to her cheek, and then mounted high.
Presently she smiled, a smile full of conscious power and furtive
complacency, and said quietly, "He will not go."

Rose was pleased, but not surprised, to hear her sister speak so
confidently, for she knew her power over Camille. "That is right," said
she, "go to him, and say two honest words: 'I bid you stay.'"

"O Rose! no!"

"Poltroon! You know he would go down on his knees, and stay directly."

"No: I should blush all my life before you and him. I COULD not. I
should let him go sooner, almost. Oh, no! I will never ask a man to stay
who wishes to leave me. But just you go to him, and say Madame Raynal
is going to take a little walk: will he do her the honor to be her
companion? Not a word more, if you love me."

"I'll go. Hypocrite!"

Josephine received Camille with a bright smile. She seemed in unusually
good spirits, and overflowing with kindness and innocent affection. On
this his high gloomy brow relaxed, and all his prospects brightened as
by magic. Then she communicated to him a number of little plans for next
week and the week after. Among the rest he was to go with her and Rose
to Frejus. "Such a sweet place: I want to show it you. You will come?"

He hesitated a single moment: a moment of intense anxiety to the smi