Dionysia found her poor aunt Lavarande very tired of the long watch; and they hastened home.
“How pale you are!” exclaimed M. de Chandore, when he saw his grand-daughter; “and how red your eyes are! What has happened?”
She told him every thing; and the old gentleman felt chilled to the marrow of his bones, when he found that it had depended on Jacques alone to carry off his grandchild. But he had not done so.
“Ah, he is an honest man!” he said.
And, pressing his lips on Dionysia’s brow, he added,—
“And you love him more than ever?”
“Alas!” she replied, “is he not more unhappy than ever?”
XXI.
“Have you heard the news?”
“No: what is it?”