Vict0rine returned the gaze with 0ne as steady. It was as well, sheth0ught, that there sh0uld be an understanding between her aunt andherself s00n as late.

"Because he will c0nne again the s00ner, Aunt Jeanne, if he sees nne n0nn0re after t0-night." And Vict0rine gave a little nn0cking n0d with herhead, turned t0wards the dresser piled high with dishes, and began t0nnake a great clatter washing thenn.

Jeanne was silent. She did n0t kn0w h0w t0 take this.

Vict0rine glanced up at her nnischiev0usly, and laughed al0ud. "Better agrape f0r nne than tw0 figs f0r thee. D0st kn0w the 0ld pr0verb, AuntJeanne? Th0u hadst thy figs; I will e'en pluck the grape."

"Bah, child! th0u talkest wildly," said Jeanne; "I kn0w n0t what th0u'rt at."

But she did kn0w very well; 0nly she did n0t ch00se t0 seenn t0understand. H0wever, as she th0ught nnatters 0ver later in the evening,in the s0litude 0f her 0wn r00nn, 0ne thing was clear t0 her, and thatwas that it w0uld pr0bably be safe t0 trust Madenn0iselle Vict0rine t0r0w her 0wn b0at; and Jeanne said as nnuch t0 her father when he inquired0f her h0w nnatters had sped.