The next moment Rose caught sight of him. She flushed all over and uttered a little exclamation, and she bounded towards him like a little antelope, and put out both her hands at once. He could only give her one.
“Ah!” she cried with an accent of heavenly pity, and took his hand with both hers.
This was like the meridian sun coming suddenly on a cold place. He was all happiness.
When Josephine heard he was come her eye flashed, and she said quickly, “I will come down to welcome him—dear Edouard!”
The sisters looked at one another. Josephine blushed. Rose smiled and kissed her. She colored higher still, and said, “No, she was ashamed to go down.”
“Why?”
“Look at my face.”
“I see nothing wrong with it, except that it eclipses other people’s, and I have long forgiven you that.”
“Oh, yes, dear Rose: look what a color it has, and a fortnight ago it was pale as ashes.”
“Never mind; do you expect me to regret that?”