On the morning of the twelfth, my little friend and his father were just preparing to start, when they heard a sound of carriage wheels and horses’ hoofs, accompanied by a great noise of cracking of whips, on the drive leading to the house. A minute afterwards a carriage with four horses and postillions drew up at the door.
From this carriage descended Eusèbe and his father. They were not expected, and never were visitors less wished for. Mr. de Malassise began by making their excuses for arriving so unexpectedly, and explained the reason. He said that Eusèbe had heard only the day before of Maurice’s return, and a violent fancy had seized him suddenly to come and pay a visit to his cousin. It had been impossible to persuade Eusèbe to delay the visit till they could write and give notice of their intention. Eusèbe, he said, had insisted upon starting early that morning; and had he been thwarted, that terrible attack of nervous fever, so much dreaded by his parents, might have come on at last. So they had made the journey with post-horses, and there they were!
It was a sad disappointment to Maurice that his visit to Mr. Duberger should be put off, but there was no alternative; and after all it was only a delay of perhaps a couple of days. Cressida could remain without inconvenience for another forty-eight hours at Mr. Duberger’s.
So thought our little Maurice; but we shall see presently what serious consequences arose from that delay of only a couple of days.
THE BUTTERFLY.
Little pretty butterfly,
Fluttering ’mid the flowers,
Thou must live so happily
Through thy life’s short hours.