Bertha gently withdrew her hand from Nominoë's, saying in a moved voice:
"Monsieur Lebrenn, rise—"
And noticing a few steps from where they were a rock covered with moss, a sort of natural bench, the young girl added:
"I am barely convalescent—my weakness is still great. I feel tired; allow me to repose on that rock."
Nominoë rose, and obeyed a sign of Mademoiselle Plouernel, who, after seating herself, invited him to a place beside her. The girl remained silent for a moment and then proceeded:
"Situations that seem difficult, and even false, become, I think, easy and right, thanks to straightforwardness of conduct. I shall be frank. You also will be sincere, Monsieur Lebrenn. You will answer all my questions."
"I feel grateful to you, mademoiselle, that you judge me so favorably," answered Nominoë. "You will find me straightforward and sincere in all things."
"First of all, in order to render intelligible what may otherwise seem inexplicable to you, Monsieur Lebrenn, I must inform you that even before I owed my life—and then my honor—to you, I already felt a deep interest, if not in you personally, at least in all the members of your family."
And in response to a gesture of surprise on the part of Nominoë, Bertha added:
"I am acquainted with a part of your family legend."