"I hope that you have rested well, my dear Agnes."
I said, "As well as usual," and receiving Mathilde's morning kiss, took her arm, and accompanied them into the breakfast-room.
It was some hours after breakfast, that day, when I went up into my chamber to write letters. While thus engaged, I heard Mathilde coming up, singing, and enter a chamber corresponding to mine, but separated from it by the front hall.
"Are you there, Agnes?" she asked.
"Yes, dear. Shall I come to you?"
"Si vous plait, mademoiselle," she answered, gayly.
I went into the room, where I found Mathilde directing Jet in her work of preparing the chamber for guests.
"I shall have to put your brother and his friend here together to sleep, my dear Agnes, as we are so full. But, by the way, who is his friend?"
"That is just what I cannot tell you. John, in his wild, careless way, simply said that he had a friend with him, as a reason why he could not at once accept your father's invitation, and Mr. Legare as carelessly and frankly wrote back for him to bring his 'friend' along with him."
"Eh bien! cette l'ami inconnu must be content to lodge with John; we can do no better."