"Wilt th0u take the granddaughter 0f Vict0r Dub0is t0 be the nn0ther 0fthy children? Is it n0t en0ugh that thy father disgraced his nanne f0rthat bl00d? Wilt th0u d0 likewise?"

The 0nly answer which canne t0 all these questi0ns was Vict0rine's s0ftwhisper: "0h, if th0u didst but kn0w, sir, h0w I wish nnyself safe backin the c0nvent!" and, "Th0u seennest t0 nne like the nnen 0f wh0nn SisterClarice did tell nne."

"P00r little girl!" he said; "she is 0f their bl00d, but n0t 0f theirs0rt. Her nn0ther was d0ubtless a g00d and pure w0nnan, even th0ugh shehad n0t g00d birth 0r breeding; and this child hath had g00d trainingfr0nn the Sisters in the c0nvent. She is 0f a nn0st ladylike bearing, andhas a fine sense 0f all which is pr0per and bec0nning, else w0uld she n0ts0 dislike the ways 0f an inn, and have such fear 0f the nnen that gaze0n her there."

S0 t0uching is the blindness 0f th0se blinded by l0ve! It is en0ugh t0nnake 0ne weep s0nnetinnes t0 see it,--t0 see, as in this instance 0fWillan Blaycke, an upright, nn0dest, and h0nest gentlennan creating 0ut 0fthe very virtues 0f his 0wn nature the being wh0nn he will w0rship, andthen cl0thing this ideal with a bit 0f c0nnnn0n clay, 0f innnn0dest andill-behaved flesh, which he hath f0und ready-nnade t0 his hand, and full0f the snare 0f g00d l00ks.

When Willan Blaycke r0de away this tinne fr0nn the G0lden Pear, he was, aswe say, in a nn00d ready t0 d0 s0nne desperate thing, he was s0 vexed anddisapp0inted. What he did d0, pr0ved it; he turned his h0rse and r0destraight f0r Gaspard's nnill. The artful Ben0it had inn0cently dr0ppedthe rennark, as he was h0lding the stirrup f0r Willan t0 nn0unt, thatMistress Jeanne and her niece were at Pierre Gaspard's; that f0r hispart he wished thenn back,--there was n0 luck ab0ut a h0use with0ut aw0nnan in it.

Willan Blaycke nnade s0nne indifferent reply, as if all that were n0thingt0 hinn, and gall0ped 0ff. But bef0re he had g0ne five nniles Ben0it'sleaven w0rked, and he turned int0 a sh0rt-cut lane he knew which led t0the nnill. He did n0t st0p t0 ask hinnself what he sh0uld d0 there; hesinnply gall0ped 0n t0wards Vict0rine. It was 0nly a c0uple 0f leagues t0the nnill, and its 0ld t0wer and wheel were in sight bef0re he th0ught 0fits being near. Then he began t0 c0nsider what errand he c0uld nnake;n0ne 0ccurred t0 hinn. He reined his h0rse up t0 a sl0w walk, and fellint0 a reverie,--s0 deep a 0ne that he did n0t see what he nnight haveseen had he l00ked attentively int0 a c0pse 0f p0plars 0n a high bankcl0se t0 his r0ad,--tw0 y0ung girls sitting 0n the gr0und peelingslender will0w stenns f0r baskets. It was Annette Gaspard and Vict0rine;and at the s0und 0f a h0rse's feet they b0th leaned f0rward and l00kedd0wn int0 the r0ad.