d all
a Christian's duty, he dismissed all further thoughts of the matter,
and actually hummed a gay opera tune as he strode homeward through the
pelting storm, thinking how soon he should be blessed by the
possession of his own Melanie.

No observation was made on his absence, either by the steward or any
of the servants, on his return, though he was well-nigh drenched with
rain, for they remembered his old half-boyish, half-romantic habits,
and it seemed natural to them that on his first return, after so many
years of wandering, to scenes endeared to him by innumerable fond
recollections, he should wander forth alone to muse with his own soul
in secret.

There was great joy, however, in the hearts of the old servitors and
tenants in consequence of his return, and on the following morning,
and still on the third day, that feeling of joy and security continued
to increase, for it soon got abroad that the young lord's grief and
gloominess of mood was wearing hourly away, and that his lip, and his
whole countenance were often lighted up with an expression which
showed, as they fondly augured, that days and years of happiness were
yet in store for him.

It was not long before the tidings reached him that the house of
D'Argenson was in great distress concerning the sudden and
unaccountable disappearance of the Chevalier de Pontrien, who had
walked out, it was said, on the preceding afternoon, promising to be
back at supper-time, and who had not been heard of since.

Raoul smiled grimly at the intimation, but said nothing, and the
narrator judging that St. Renan was not likely to take offence at the
imputations against the family of Ploermel, proceeded to inform him,
that in the opinion of the neighborhood there was nothing very
mysterious, after all, in the disappearance of the chevalier, since he
was known to be very heavily in debt, and was threatened with deadly
feud by the old Sieur de Plouzurde, whose fair daughter he had
deceived to her undoing. Robinet, the smuggler's boat, had been seen
off the Penmarcks when the moon was setting, and no one doubted that
the gay gallant was by this time off the coast of Spain.

To all this, though he affected to pay little heed to it, Raoul
inclined an eager and attentive ear, and as a reward for his patient
listening, was soon informed, furthermore, that the bridegroom marquis
and the beautiful bride, being satisfied, it was supposed, of the
chevalier's safety, had departed