"Meseems that your work cannot of late have been very absorbing, mon cousin," she rejoined with well-assumed flippancy, "if you have spent every morning spying on my movements ten kilomètres away from your home."
"I would walk fifty on the chance of catching sight of you for five minutes in the distance," he said, "but not because I am idle. Work at the foundries and in the factory has been arduous and heavy. Rumour will have told you that some of our men have been troublesome...."
She looked straight down into his eyes and said earnestly:
"Those for whose sake you and yours became false to your King and to your caste are turning against you now, mon cousin. Yes! Rumour hath told me that."
"And you have rejoiced?"
"And I have rejoiced."
"Because in your thoughts you still hate me?"
"Because in my thoughts I condemn you as false to your country and false to your King."
"But in your heart, Fernande," he said slowly, "in your heart you no longer hate me."
"Mon cousin," she protested.