"Someone who is very agreeable—just back from Italy. What! can't you guess? Monsieur le Comte de la Bérinière."
"Ah! the dear count! Has he returned?"
"Only yesterday. He instantly asked me for all the news. When I told him that Madame Monléard was a widow, he was tremendously surprised; he couldn't get over it."
"Mon Dieu! how stupid that man is!" muttered Gustave, glancing at Fanny.
Since the announcement of the Comte de la Bérinière's return, she seemed disturbed and preoccupied. In a few moments, she left her seat between her sister and Gustave, went to the window for a moment, as if to get a breath of air, and then, instead of returning to her former seat, sat down near the whist table.
Adolphine followed her sister with her eyes, and did not lose a single one of her movements. Meanwhile, Gustave, seeing Fanny seat herself at a distance, drew nearer to Adolphine, and said:
"Your sister, I see, wishes me to tell you of our delightful plans for the future; for I have had no chance to talk with you lately, dear Adolphine; I have been here several times, but have failed to find you."
"Yes, I know it."
"I think that you are not indifferent to what interests me, that you take pleasure in my happiness. You saw me when I was so unhappy! I am sure that you want to see me happy now."
"Yes, of course I do. A love like yours well deserves to be reciprocated."