rything would fade away, be blotted out, lose its form and
color in a dying remnant of colorless daylight, and through the
increasing darkness the voices of a class whose life begins at night,
and the voice of the wine beginning to sing, would arise, mingled with
the din of the rattles. Upon the slope the tops of the tall grass waved
to and fro in the gentle breeze. Germinie would make up her mind to go.
She would wend her way homeward, filled with the influence of the
falling night, abandoning herself to the uncertain vision of things
half-seen, passing the dark houses, and finding that everything along
her road had turned paler, as it were--wearied by the long walk over
rough roads, and content to be weary and slow and half-fainting, and
with a feeling of peace at her heart.

At the first lighted lanterns on Rue du Chateau, she would fall from her
dream to the pavement.

XIII

Madame Jupillon's face always wore a pleased expression when Germinie
appeared; when she kissed her she was very effusive, when she spoke to
her her voice was caressing, when she looked at her her glance was most
amiable. The huge creature's kind heart seemed, when with her, to
abandon itself to the emotion, the affection, the trustfulness of a sort
of maternal tenderness. She took Germinie into her confidence as to her
business, as to her woman's secrets, as to the most private affairs of
her life. She seemed to open her heart to her as to a person of her own
blood, whom she desired to make familiar with matters of interest to the
family. When she spoke of the future, she always referred to Germinie as
one from whom she was never to be separated, and who formed a part of
the household. Often she allowed certain discreet, mysterious smiles to
escape her, smiles which made it appear that she saw all that was going
on and was not angry. Sometimes, too, when her son was sitting by
Germinie's side, she would let her eyes, moist with a mother's tears,
rest upon them, and would embrace them with a glance that seemed to
unite her two children and call down a blessing on their heads.

Without speaking, without ever uttering a word that could be construed
as an engagement, without divulging her thoughts or binding herself in
any way, and all the time repeating that her son was still very young to
think of being married, she encouraged Germinie's hopes and illusions by
her whole bearing, her airs of secret indulgence and of complicity, so
far