“Thanks, Colonel, both to you and Adèle. But I do not know how that will be. August is two whole months distant yet, and one never knows what may happen in the course of two months. Do you know I was half thinking of paying a visit to France myself, when my brother who is on a visit to me now, returns to join his regiment.”
“Were you, indeed?” asked de Chavannes, more earnestly than the subject seemed to warrant. “I had not heard of that scheme before. Is it likely to be carried into effect, Mademoiselle?”
“I hardly know. As yet it is little more than a distant dream.”
“But you have not yet answered my question, Mademoiselle de Chatenoeuf,” said the Colonel. “You have not yet told me when you will come and see Adèle.”
“Oh! pardon me, Colonel. I return to town to-morrow, and I will not lose a moment. Suppose I say at one o’clock to-morrow, or two will be better. Caroline, the Judge was so good as to say that he would let his carriage take me home; I dare say it can drop me at Thomas’s, can it not?”
“Certainly, not, Valerie! There, don’t stare now, or look indignant or surprised. It served you perfectly right; what did you expect me to say? Or why do you ask such silly questions? Of course, it can take you wherever you please, precisely as if it were your own.”
“Then at two o’clock, I will be at Thomas’s to-morrow, Colonel; in the meantime, pray give Adèle my best love.”
“I will, indeed. And now I will intrude upon you no longer, ladies,” he added, raising his hat. “In fact, I owe you many apologies for the liberty I have taken in introducing myself. I hope you will believe I would not have done so under any other circumstances.”
We bowed, and, without any further remarks, he put spurs to his horse and cantered away.
“A very gentlemanly person,” said Caroline, “I think Adèle has done very well for herself.”