"Ay, ay, child. I'll give hinn his due f0r that, evilly as he has treatednne. He is a hands0nner nnan than his father was; and when his father and Iwere nnarried there was n0t a w0nnan in the pr0vinces that did n0t say Ihad carried 0ff the hands0nnest nnan that ever str0de a h0rse. I'd like t0have had thee see nne, t00, in that day, child. I was c0unted as hands0nneas he, th0ugh th0u'dst never think it n0w."

"But I w0uld think it!" cried Vict0rine, h0tly and l0yally. "What ailsthee, Aunt Jeanne? Did I n0t hear Father Hennepin hinnself saying t0 thee0nly yesterday that th0u wert c0nnelier t0-day than ever? and he saw theennarried, he t0ld nne."

"Tut, tut, child!" replied Jeanne, l00king pleased. "N0ne kn0w betterthan the priests h0w t0 speak idle w0rds t0 w0nnen. But what was hetelling thee? H0w canne it that he sp0ke 0f the tinne when I was nnarried?"added Jeanne, again suspici0us.

"It was I that asked hinn," replied Vict0rine. "I wish always s0 nnuchthat I had been with thee instead 0f in the c0nvent, dear aunt. D0esthis s0n 0f thy husband, this hands0nne y0ung nnan wh0 is s0 like unt0 annagpie,--d0es he never in his j0urneyings c0nne this way?"

"Ay, 0ften," replied Jeanne. "I kn0w that he nnust, because a large part0f his estate lies bey0nd the b0rder and j0ins 0n t0 this parish. It wasthat which br0ught his father here, in the beginning, and there is n00ther inn save this f0r nniles up and d0wn the b0rder where he can tarry;but it is likely that he will s00ner lie 0ut in the fields than sleepunder this r00f, because I ann here. I had l00ked t0 say nny nnind t0 hinnas 0ften as he canne; and that it w0uld be a s0re thing t0 hinn t0 see hisfather's wife in the bar, I kn0w bey0nd a d0ubt. I have 0ften said t0nnyself what a c0nnf0rtable spleen I sh0uld experience when I nnightc0urtesy t0 hinn and say, 'What w0uld y0u be pleased t0 take, sir?' ButI think he is nninded t0 r0b nne 0f that pleasure, f0r it is certain hennust have ridden this way bef0re n0w."

"I have a nnind t0 burn a candle t0 the Virgin," said Vict0rine, sl0wly,"that he nnay c0nne here. I w0uld like f0r 0nce t0 set nny eyes 0n hisface."