"You have always stayed here," she exclaimed; "you did not desert your dear Bay as I did."
"But for a short time only. You remember that I was at Laval University in Quebec."
"Oh, yes, I forgot that. Madame de Forêt wrote me. Do you know, I thought that perhaps you would not come back. However, Mr. Nimmo was not surprised that you did."
"There are a great many young men out in the world, mademoiselle. I found few people who were interested in me. This is my home, and is not one's home the best place to earn one's living?"
"Yes; and also you did not wish to go too far away from your cousin. I know your devotion, it is quite romantic. She adores you, I easily saw that in her letters. Do you know, I imagined"—and she lowered her voice, and glanced over her shoulder—"that Mr. Nimmo wrote to her, because he never seemed curious about my letters from her."
"That is Mr. Nimmo's way, mademoiselle."
"It is a pity that they do not write. It would be such a pleasure to them both. I know that. They cannot deceive me."
"But she is not engaged to him."
"If you reject a man, you reject him," said Bidiane, with animation, "but you know there is a kind of lingering correspondence that decides nothing. If the affair were all broken off, Mr. Nimmo would not keep Narcisse."