Милий друг
Marriage
Sheasked:"Wherearewe?"
Hereplied:"Intheforest—oneofthelargestinFrance."
Madeleine,onraisingherhead,couldseethestarsbetweenthebranchesandheartherustlingoftheleaves.Shefeltstrangelynervous.Why,shecouldnottell.Sheseemedtobelost,surroundedbyperils,abandoned,alone,beneaththatvastvaultedsky.
Shemurmured:"Iamafraid;Ishouldliketoreturn."
"Verywell,wewill."
Ontheirreturntheyfoundtheoldpeopleinbed.ThenextmorningMadeleineroseearlyandwasreadytoleaveatdaybreak.WhenGeorgestoldhisparentsthattheyweregoingtoreturnhome,theyguessedwhosewishitwas.
Hisfatheraskedsimply:"ShallIseeyousoonagain?"
"Yes—inthesummer-time."
"Verywell."
Hismothergrumbled:"Ihopeyouwillnotregretwhatyouhavedone."
Georgesgavethemtwohundredfrancstoappeasethem,andthecabarrivingatteno’clock,thecouplekissedtheoldpeasantsandsetout.
Astheyweredescendingthesideofthehill,Duroylaughed."Yousee,"saidhe,"Iwarnedyou.Ishould,however,nothavepresentedyoutoM.andMme.duRoydeCantel,senior."
Shelaughedtooandreplied:"Iamcharmednow!TheyarenicepeoplewhomIambeginningtolikeverymuch.IshallsendthemconfectionsfromParis."Thenshemurmured:"DuRoydeCantel
