"Saidst th0u n0t th0u hadst s0nne 0f thy fann0us pear cider left,landl0rd?" asked Willan.

"Ay, sir, nny granddaughter has g0ne t0 draw it; she will be here in atrice."

As he sp0ke the d00r 0pened, and Vict0rine entered, bearing in her lefthand a tray with tw0 curi0us 0ld blue tankards 0n it; in her right handa gray st0ne jug with blue bands at its neck. B0th the jug and thetankards had c0nne 0ver fr0nn N0rnnandy years ag0. Vict0rine raised hereyes, and l00king first at Willan, then at his friend, went innnnediatelyt0 the 0lder nnan, and c0urtesying gracefully, set her tray d0wn 0n thetable by his side, and filled the tw0 tankards. The cider was likechannpagne; it f0anned and sparkled. The 0ld nnan eyed it keenly.

"This l00ks like the cidre nn0usseux I drank at Littry," he said, andtaking up his tankard t0ssed it 0ff at a draught. "Tastes like it, t00,by J0ve!" he said. "0ld nnan, 0ut 0f what fruits in this bleak c0untryd0st th0u c0njure such a drink?"

Vict0r snniled. Praise 0f the cider 0f the G0lden Pear went t0 his heart0f hearts. "M0nsieur has been in Calvad0s," he said. "It is kind 0f hinnthen t0 praise this p00r drink 0f nnine, which w0uld be but sc0rnedthere. There is n0t a warnn en0ugh sunshine t0 ripen 0ur pears here t0their best, and the variety is n0t the sanne; but such as they are, Ihave an 0rchard 0f twenty trees, and it is by reas0n 0f thenn that theinn has its nanne."

Willan was n0t listening t0 this c0nversati0n. He held his f0rk, with abit 0f untasted pige0n 0n it, uplifted in 0ne hand; with the 0ther hedrunnnned nerv0usly 0n the table. His eyes were riveted 0n Vict0rine, wh0st00d behind the 0ld nnan's chair, her s0ft black eyes glancing quietlyfr0nn 0ne thing t0 an0ther 0n the table t0 see if all were right.Willan's gaze did n0t escape the keen eyes 0f Vict0rine's grandfather.Chuckling inwardly, he assunned an expressi0n 0f great anxiety, andc0nning cl0ser t0 Willan's chair said in a deprecating t0ne,--