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〃I cannot say； my dear。〃
〃I do so hope we shall see M。 Lacordaire again。 Do you know what I
was thinking； mamma？〃
〃Little girls like you ought not to think；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson；
walking slowly out of the room to the top of the stairs and back
again； for she had felt the necessity of preventing Mimmy from
disclosing any more of her thoughts。 〃And now； my dear； get
yourself ready； and we will go up to the school。〃
Mrs。 Thompson always dressed herself with care； though not in
especially fine clothes； before she went down to dinner at the table
d'hote； but on this occasion she was more than usually particular。
She hardly explained to herself why she did this； but； nevertheless；
as she stood before the glass； she did in a certain manner feel that
the circumstances of her future life might perhaps depend on what
might be said and done that evening。 She had not absolutely decided
whether or no she would go to the Prince's chateau； but if she did
go …。 Well； if she did； what then？ She had sense enough； as she
assured herself more than once； to regulate her own conduct with
propriety in any such emergency。
During the dinner； M。 Lacordaire conversed in his usual manner； but
said nothing whatever about the visit to Polignac。 He was very kind
to Mimmy； and very courteous to her mother； but did not appear to be
at all more particular than usual。 Indeed； it might be a question
whether he was not less so。 As she had entered the room Mrs。
Thompson had said to herself that； perhaps； after all； it would be
better that there should be nothing more thought about it； but
before the four of five courses were over； she was beginning to feel
a little disappointed。
And now the fruit was on the table； after the consumption of which
it was her practice to retire。 It was certainly open to her to ask
M。 Lacordaire to take tea with her that evening； as she had done on
former occasions； but she felt that she must not do this now；
considering the immediate circumstances of the case。 If any further
steps were to be taken； they must be taken by him； and not by her；
or else by Mimmy； who； just as her mother was slowly consuming her
last grapes； ran round to the back of M。 Lacordaire's chair； and
whispered something into his ear。 It may be presumed that Mrs。
Thompson did not see the intention of the movement in time to arrest
it； for she did nothing till the whispering had been whispered； and
then she rebuked the child； bade her not to be troublesome； and with
more than usual austerity in her voice； desired her to get herself
ready to go up stairs to their chamber。
As she spoke she herself rose from her chair； and made her final
little bow to the table； and her other final little bow and smile to
M。 Lacordaire； but this was certain to all who saw it； that the
smile was not as gracious as usual。
As she walked forth； M。 Lacordaire rose from his chairsuch being
his constant practice when she left the table； but on this occasion
he accompanied her to the door。
〃And has madame decided；〃 he asked； 〃whether she will permit me to
accompany her to the chateau？〃
〃Well； I really don't know；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。
〃Mees Meemy；〃 continued M。 Lacordaire； 〃is very anxious to see the
rock； and I may perhaps hope that Mees Lilian would be pleased with
such a little excursion。 As for myself〃 and then M。 Lacordaire
put his hand upon his heart in a manner that seemed to speak more
plainly than he had ever spoken。
〃Well； if the children would really like it； andas you are so very
kind；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson； and so the matter was conceded。
〃To…morrow afternoon？〃 suggested M。 Lacordaire。 But Mrs。 Thompson
fixed on Saturday； thereby showing that she herself was in no hurry
for the expedition。
〃Oh； I am so glad！〃 said Mimmy； when they had re…entered their own
room。 〃Mamma； do let me tell Lilian myself when I go up to the
school to…morrow！〃
But mamma was in no humour to say much to her child on this subject
at the present moment。 She threw herself back on her sofa in
perfect silence； and began to reflect whether she would like to sign
her name in future as Fanny Lacordaire； instead of Fanny Thompson。
It certainly seemed as though things were verging towards such a
necessity。 A marchand！ But a marchand of what？ She had an
instinctive feeling that the people in the hotel were talking about
her and M。 Lacordaire； and was therefore more than ever averse to
asking any one a question。
As she went up to the school the next afternoon； she walked through
more of the streets of Le Puy than was necessary； and in every
street she looked at the names which she saw over the doors of the
more respectable houses of business。 But she looked in vain。 It
might be that M。 Lacordaire was a marchand of so specially high a
quality as to be under no necessity to put up his name at all。 Sir
Hommajee Bommajee's name did not appear over any door in Bombay；at
least； she thought not。
And then came the Saturday morning。 〃We shall be ready at two；〃 she
said； as she left the breakfast…table； 〃and perhaps you would not
mind calling for Lilian on the way。〃
M。 Lacordaire would be delighted to call anywhere for anybody on
behalf of Mrs。 Thompson； and then； as he got to the door of the
salon； he offered her his hand。 He did so with so much French
courtesy that she could not refuse it； and then she felt that his
purpose was more tender than ever it had been。 And why not； if this
was the destiny which Fate had prepared for her？
Mrs。 Thompson would rather have got into the carriage at any other
spot in Le Puy than at that at which she was forced to do sothe
chief entrance； namely； of the Hotel des Ambassadeurs。 And what
made it worse was this； that an appearance of a special fate was
given to the occasion。 M。 Lacordaire was dressed in more than his
Sunday best。 He had on new yellow kid gloves。 His coat； if not
new； was newer than any Mrs。 Thompson had yet observed； and was
lined with silk up to the very collar。 He had on patent leather
boots； which glittered； as Mrs。 Thompson thought； much too
conspicuously。 And as for his hat； it was quite evident that it was
fresh that morning from the maker's block。
In this costume； with his hat in his hand； he stood under the great
gateway of the hotel； ready to hand Mrs。 Thompson into the carriage。
This would have been nothing if the landlord and landlady had not
been there also； as well as the man…cook； and the four waiters； and
the fille de chambre。 Two or three other pair of eyes Mrs。 Thompson
also saw； as she glanced round； and then Mimmy walked across the
yard in her best clothes with a fete…day air about her for which her
mother would have liked to have whipped her。
But what did it matter？ If it was written in the book that she
should become Madame Lacordaire； of course the world would know that
there must have been some preparatory love…making。 Let them have
their laugh； a good husband would not be dearly purchased at so
trifling an expense。 And so they sallied forth with already half
the ceremony of a wedding。
Mimmy seated herself opposite to her mother； and M。 Lacordaire also
sat with his back t