"Yes. As far as I could judge from a few words that she dropped to me, she is awaiting your return to take some kind of action. What it may be I do not know."
"Perhaps she contemplates leaving France for a while, and traveling abroad."
"I do believe she is thinking of a voyage. More than once did mademoiselle say to me we were here only transiently."
"At any rate, the important point is that she is much less melancholy, and her health is good—not so?"
"Yes, her sadness seems to have vanished, and her health is excellent. And yet, Du Buisson, I often feel greatly alarmed about mademoiselle; it seems to me some misfortune is approaching—sad thoughts assail me day and night."
"What can be the cause of these presentiments of evil?"
"I hardly dare tell you. You would take me for a fool—you would laugh at me, I fear."
"Nothing that concerns our young mademoiselle can cause me to indulge in levity, Marion. Speak out, I pray you."
"Well, shortly after your departure, my poor Bertha, who was barely over her fever, still seemed quite sad. One day mademoiselle was speaking to me with her usual kindness of heart about my family in Vannes, and she asked me whether none of my relatives needed any financial assistance. I answered her that my brother, a small trader, found in his business enough to meet the personal wants of himself, his wife and children; and, in the hope of amusing mademoiselle, I added that my brother and I expected from one moment to another a windfall of incalculable value. Mademoiselle very soberly asked me what I meant. I answered that one of our cousins, an old man almost dotish, was, as so many others have been doing of late years, blowing in order to find the 'powder of projection'—"[7]
"What, Marion! Did this blowing fad penetrate to the very heart of Brittany? Are there here also people who indulge in such vagaries?"