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moments' silence。 Mrs。 Thompson declared that it did not； that she
liked a good deal of heat； and that； on the whole； she was very well
where she was。 She was afraid； however； that she was detaining M。
Lacordaire； who might probably wish to be moving about upon the
rock。 In answer to which M。 Lacordaire declared that he never could
be so happy anywhere as in her close vicinity。
〃You are too good to me；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson； almost sighing。 〃I
don't know what my stay here would have been without your great
kindness。〃
〃It is madame that has been kind to me；〃 said M。 Lacordaire；
pressing the handle of his cane against his heart。
There was then another pause； after which Mrs。 Thompson said that
that was all his French politeness； that she knew that she had been
very troublesome to him； but that she would now soon be gone； and
that then； in her own country； she would never forget his great
goodness。
〃Ah； madame！〃 said M。 Lacordaire； and； as he said it； much more was
expressed in his face than in his words。 But； then； you can neither
accept nor reject a gentleman by what he says in his face。 He
blushed； too； up to his grizzled hair； and； turning round； walked a
step or two away from the widow's seat； and back again。
Mrs。 Thompson the while sat quite still。 The displaced fragment；
lying； as it did； near a corner of the building； made not an
uncomfortable chair。 She had only to be careful that she did not
injure her hat or crush her clothes； and throw in a word here and
there to assist the gentleman； should occasion permit it。
〃Madame！〃 said M。 Lacordaire； on his return from a second little
walk。
〃Monsieur！〃 replied Mrs。 Thompson； perceiving that M。 Lacordaire
paused in his speech。
〃Madame；〃 he began again； and then； as he again paused； Mrs。
Thompson looked up to him very sweetly； 〃madame； what I am going to
say will； I am afraid； seem to evince by far too great audacity on
my part。〃
Mrs。 Thompson may； perhaps； have thought that； at the present
moment； audacity was not his fault。 She replied； however； that she
was quite sure that monsieur would say nothing that was in any way
unbecoming either for him to speak or for her to hear。
〃Madame； may I have ground to hope that such may be your sentiments
after I have spoken！ Madame〃and now he went down； absolutely on
his knees； on the hard stones； and Mrs。 Thompson； looking about into
the distance； almost thought that she saw the top of the guide's
cap〃Madame； I have looked forward to this opportunity as one in
which I may declare for you the greatest passion that I have ever
yet felt。 Madame； with all my heart and soul I love you。 Madame； I
offer to you the homage of my heart； my hand； the happiness of my
life； and all that I possess in this world；〃 and then； taking her
hand gracefully between his gloves； he pressed his lips against the
tips of her fingers。
If the thing was to be done； this way of doing it was； perhaps； as
good as any other。 It was one； at any rate； which left no doubt
whatever as to the gentleman's intentions。 Mrs。 Thompson； could she
have had her own way； would not have allowed her lover of fifty to
go down upon his knees； and would have spared him much of the
romance of his declaration。 So also would she have spared him his
yellow gloves and his polished boots。 But these were a part of the
necessity of the situation； and therefore she wisely took them as
matters to be passed over with indifference。 Seeing； however； that
M。 Lacordaire still remained on his knees； it was necessary that she
should take some step toward raising him； especially as her two
children and the guide would infallibly be upon them before long。
〃M。 Lacordaire；〃 she said； 〃you surprise me greatly； but pray get
up。〃
〃But will madame vouchsafe to give me some small ground for hope？〃
〃The girls will be here directly； M。 Lacordaire； pray get up。 I can
talk to you much better if you will stand up； or sit down on one of
these stones。〃
M。 Lacordaire did as he was bid； he got up； wiped the knees of his
pantaloons with his handkerchief； sat down beside her； and then
pressed the handle of his cane to his heart。
〃You really have so surprised me that I hardly know how to answer
you；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。 〃Indeed； I cannot bring myself to imagine
that you are in earnest。〃
〃Ah； madame； do not be so cruel！ How can I have lived with you so
long； sat beside you for so many days； without having received your
image into my heart？ I am in earnest！ Alas！ I fear too much in
earnest！〃 And then he looked at her with all his eyes； and sighed
with all his strength。
Mrs。 Thompson's prudence told her that it would be well to settle
the matter； in one way or the other； as soon as possible。 Long
periods of love…making were fit for younger people than herself and
her future possible husband。 Her object would be to make him
comfortable if she could； and that he should do the same for her； if
that also were possible。 As for lookings and sighings and pressings
of the hand； she had gone through all that some twenty years since
in India； when Thompson had been young； and she was still in her
teens。
〃But； M。 Lacordaire； there are so many things to be considered。
There！ I hear the children coming！ Let us walk this way for a
minute。〃 And they turned behind a wall which placed them out of
sight； and walked on a few paces till they reached a parapet； which
stood on the uttermost edge of the high rock。 Leaning upon this
they continued their conversation。
〃There are so many things to be considered；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson
again。
〃Yes； of course；〃 said M。 Lacordaire。 〃But my one great
consideration is this；that I love madame to distraction。〃
〃I am very much flattered； of course； any lady would so feel。 But；
M。 Lacordaire〃
〃Madame； I am all attention。 But； if you would deign to make me
happy； say that one word； 'I love you！'〃 M。 Lacordaire； as he
uttered these words； did not look； as the saying is； at his best。
But Mrs。 Thompson forgave him。 She knew that elderly gentlemen
under such circumstances do not look at their best。
〃But if I consented tototo such an arrangement； I could only do
so on seeing that it would be beneficialor； at any rate； not
injuriousto my children； and that it would offer to ourselves a
fair promise of future happiness。〃
〃Ah； madame； it would be the dearest wish of my heart to be a second
father to those two young ladies； except； indeed〃 and then M。
Lacordaire stopped the flow of his speech。
〃In such matters it is so much the best to be explicit at once；〃
said Mrs。 Thompson。
〃Oh； yes； certainly！ Nothing can be more wise than madame。〃
〃And the happiness of a household depends so much on money。〃
〃Madame！〃
〃Let me say a word or two； Monsieur Lacordaire。 I have enough for
myself and my children； and； should I every marry again； I should
not； I hope； be felt as a burden by my husband； but it would； of
course； be my duty to know what were his circumstances before I
accepted him。 Of yourself； personally； I have seen nothing that I
do not like。〃
〃Oh； madame！〃
〃But as yet I know nothing of your circumstances。〃
M。 Lacor