"Oh, godmother, how can you imagine such a thing as that?"
"Dismiss all such fears from your mind, I beg of you, madame," Louis made haste to say, "This very day I made a most unexpected discovery. My father, for reasons which I must respect, has concealed from me the fact that we are rich, very rich."
Mariette manifested much more astonishment than delight on hearing this startling announcement, but turning to Madame Lacombe after a moment, she said:
"You see you need be troubled by no more of these terrible misgivings in regard to my future, godmother."
"Ha, ha!" laughed Madame Lacombe, sardonically; "so she really believes it—"
"But, godmother—"
"Nonsense, child, can't you see that he has invented this story so I will consent to your marriage?"
"But I swear, madame—"
"I tell you it is all a lie," exclaimed Madame Lacombe; "for if you were as rich as you say, you wouldn't want Mariette any longer. Would the son of a rich man be fool enough to marry a poor working girl who can neither read nor write?"
Though she did not exactly share her godmother's doubts, Mariette gazed at Louis a little sadly and uneasily, as she thought of the great change in his fortunes.