"But Marianne," repeated Louis several times impatiently, in vain attempting to interrupt her; "but Marianne, it is not that; I come to tell you that you must return home."
"Return home! and for what, pray, Master Louis? It was all very well, whilst you were there; but as for your aunt, she can do well enough without me, and I can do without her. Go, then, Master Louis, and take your pleasure in the country; you need not be afraid, we shall not bite one another in your absence."
"But, Marianne," replied Louis, more and more out of patience, yet still hesitating to engage himself, "I tell you it is not certain—it is indeed very possible that I may not go into the country at all."
"How!—not go into the country! Oh! that is quite another affair! It was well worth while to open the drawers in such a hurry! Well, if that is the case, I will go and make your bed to-morrow, Master Louis; you may be very sure I shall not leave your room in disorder; you may depend upon that beforehand; your bed shall be ready."
"And dinner also, Marianne?"
"Dinner for your aunt? oh! she can dine well enough without me, the dear creature! If she had nobody to cook her dinner but me, I warrant you it would not make her ill;" and Marianne's passion beginning to revive, she talked to herself and to every one around, without their being able to stop her tongue.
"But listen to me, do, pray, Marianne," cried Louis, almost losing temper himself; "I tell you that my father and mother are coming."
"What! the colonel!—my mistress!" exclaimed Marianne. "Gracious me! when?—where are they?" and she seemed ready to run and meet them.
"Oh, not yet, Marianne," said Louis; "but they are on the road; here is the letter which gives me the intelligence, and you must see that if they find all the house out of sorts in this manner——"
"Ah yes! you are quite right, Master Louis, that is very true. The poor colonel!—and my mistress! How happy she must be!—how is he, now? What! they are really coming!" and the exclamations of Marianne, mingled and succeeded each other with as much rapidity in her delight as in her anger. The whole course of her ideas was completely changed, and perhaps on a closer consideration of the arrival of her master and mistress, she might feel some uneasiness as to the consequences of her late conduct, which in the heat of the moment she had not very attentively examined. There was no difficulty in inducing her to return. "Must we not be preparing the house for their arrival?" she said. "Come, Master Louis; duty before all things;—duty before all things!"