e Frau Von
Courval."

A singular person, thought the vicomte, but surely a gentleman.

Madame de Courval, tired of looking for a home, had resolved to give no
trouble to this kindly household and to accept their hours--the
breakfast at seven, the noonday dinner, the supper at six. She was
already dressed when she heard the step outside of her door, and looking
up from her Bible, called "_Entrez_, my son. Ah, roses, roses! Did you
gather them?"

"No; they are for you, with the compliments of our fellow-lodger, a
German, I believe, Mr. Schmidt; another most strange person in this
strange land. He speaks English well, but, _mon Dieu_, of the oddest. A
well-bred man, I am sure; you will like him."

"I do not know, and what matters it? I like very few people, as you
know, Rene; but the place does appear to be clean and neat. That must
suffice."

He knew well enough that she liked few people. "Are you ready, _maman?_
Shall we go down?"

"Yes, I am ready. This seems to me a haven of rest, Rene--a haven of
rest, after that cruel sea."

"It so seems to me, _maman_; and these good Quakers. They _tutoyer_
every one--every one. You must try to learn English. I shall give you
lessons, and there is a note from Mr. Wynne, asking me to call at
eleven. And one word more, _maman_--"

"Well, my son?"

"You bade me put aside the past. I shall do so; but you--can not you
also do the same? It will be hard, for you made me make it harder."

"I know--I know, but you are young--I old of heart. Life is before you,
my son. It is behind me. I can not but think of my two lonely little
ones in the graveyard and the quiet of our home life and, my God! of
your father!" To his surprise, she burst into tears. Any such outward
display of emotion was in his experience of her more than merely
unusual. "Go down to breakfast, Rene. I shall try to live in your life.
You will tell me everything--always. I shall follow you presently. We
must not be late."

"Yes," he said; but he did not tell her of his morning's adventure. Even
had he himself been willing to speak of it, the German would not like
it, and already Schmidt began to exercise over him that influence which
was more or less to affect his life in the years yet to come. As he went
down to the broad hall, he saw a floor thinly strewn with white sand,
settles on both sides, a lantern hanging overhead, and the upper half of
the front door open to let the morning air sweep through to the gard